The Story of Fire and Ice
by TildaL
Summary: She was the heir of fire, he was the prince of ice. She had melted the barrier around his heart, he had calmed her flames. But now an ocean seperates them, and they will have to learn to live without each other again. This story is set after Heir of Fire. This is what I imagined happened. (Chapter 1-10 UPDATED)
1. Chapter 1 The return

**So I actually did it. I posted this. Please give me a review so I know what to improve to the coming chapters.**

 **(A/N from future TildaL) Omg, I was a fetus when I posted this! This chapter has been updated and A LOT of spelling and grammar corrections has been made, at least it's better than before. During the upcoming weeks I'll go back and give these early chapters a needed make-over.**

 **A few things that you might need to know:**

 **English isn't my first language, so my writing is far from perfect. BUT the English in the upcoming chapters will improve as my writing skill does.**

 **There will not be as much perspective changing in the following chapters. I'll stick to two perspectives, most of the time.**

 **One last thing. Thank you so much for being here and I hope you'll enjoy**

Chapter 1. The return

The night had fallen when the ship reached Rifchold harbor. Before it docked, a black shadow leaped over the railing, down into the cold water. Later that night, when the city guards searched the ship, no one could account for where the last passenger, a young woman with golden hair, was.

Aelin's perspective

Aelin hated being cold, she hated being wet, but the thing she hated the most were wet shoes; how her feet splashed with every step she took. There were a lot more guards in the city than usually, a fact that didn't improve her already lousy mood and it took her an hour longer than normal to reach her destination.

She could see the warehouse from a far through the darkness, because light shone out of the windows of her old apartment. The journey had been long and she was too tired to bother about who it might be that camped inside her space. Aelin made sure that she wasn't followed before she slipped into the building and continued up the familiar stairs.

Whoever it was in her apartment better not try to stand between her and a hot bath. She was freezing and smelled discussing. Like fish, urgh fish. She hated fish even more than she hated wet shoes.

She was at the top of the stairs now and stared at the door she hadn't seen in two years. Two years, it felt like an eternity. Suddenly she wasn't sure why she had wanted to come back here, the place where she had been while Sam had been tortured to death.

Aelin took a deep breath and opened the unlocked door.

Chaol's perspective

It had been a long night. Chaol had been meeting with the rebels, they had been discussing how to save Aedion before it was too late. On the way there, he had encountered a group of guards, some of his old men. Luckily they hadn't recognized him, because they had their hands full at the moment, fighting him.

Chaol had fled, he wasn't sure if it was because he though he wouldn't win or the fact that he didn't want to hurt them. He might be with the rebels, but they were still the men he had fought alongside for years.

The meeting had been long and they weren't any closer to a plan than they had been before. It had been with a sigh of relieve he had gone back to the apartment and sat down in the armchair.

He stared into the fireplace, thinking about the fire he hadn't bothered to lit. Above the fireplace, there where decorations. Every single item told a story about her, but something where missing, there was an empty spot. Celaena wouldn't had arranged it like that.

His thoughts where interrupted by footsteps in the stair outside the door and it was opened a moment later. Chaol stood and drew his dagger in one movement, ready to defend himself.

A black hooded figure walked in, accompanied by a splashing sound with every step it took. Still, it's every movement filled with grace.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before the figure removed the hood. She was soaking wet and had to be cold, it was freezing outside. But however cold it was outside, nothing could compare from the coldness in her stare when her gaze met his. Celaena stood before him, no Aelin. She was different now. The months they had been separated had changed her.

Not only was her face now it of a woman and her hair shoulder length, but she was filled with a new kind of confidence. It wasn't a scarred girl who stood before him. It was a queen.

Aelin's perspective

Chaol sat in Sam's chair when she opened the door. The oversized velvet armchair had been Sam's favorite spot in the apartment and it felt wrong to see anyone else then him there.

But Chaol didn't stay for long, he stood the second later with a dagger drawn.

Aelin stared at him for the cover of her hood. His facial expression was grim and it took her a few seconds to realize that he had no idea who she was. So she removed her hood and her gaze met his.

Chaol, the man she had loved. The man who had pieced her heart together, just to shatter it into smaller pieces. The man who had betrayed her. The man whose fault it was Nehemia was dead.

When she looked at him, all she felt was disgust. He opened his mouth but Aelin was quicker.

"We'll talk after I've taken a bath." She left him without waiting for an answer, only leaving the puddle of water that had dripped from her soaked clothes and unsaid words behind.

Aelin walked through her old bedroom and tried not to get overwhelmed by all the emotions and memories from the past. First she was going to take a long bath, then she was going to think. She continued through her bedroom to the attached bathroom where she filled the tub with the hottest water possible and left her clothes in a messy pile on the floor before slipping into the hot water.

When she rubbed herself in her favorite lavender soap and the fish smell was overpowered by flower scent, she finally felt better, not good, but damn close.

But when she closed her eyes, she couldn't get rid of the picture of the tall male that was attached on the inside of her eyelids. The male she knew was waiting for her on the other side of the great sea. It made her heart ache, but at least she knew that nothing could stop them from seeing each other again. Not even death, because they were both going to hell and together they were going to rattle it. That thought made her smile for the first time since she had left him and Wendlyn behind.

Chaol's perspective

She was here, in Rifchold, only a wall separating them. But she shouldn't be here, it wasn't safe. Especially if she was The Lost Heir of Terrasen.

Chaol paced back and forth as his thoughts cluttered his mind. Hungry, she must be hungry and thirsty as well. At least he was. He stopped his pacing and headed to the kitchen instead, where he heated some water and made some food.

The bedroom door opened and he turned around to face her.

"Celaena…" she was just as beautiful as he remembered.

She cut him short. "Aelin, my name is Aelin."

"Aelin, what are you doing here?" Chaol voice was hoarse and her piercing gaze made him feel uneased.

Aelin smelled in the air, there was something primal over the gesture. Something that made Cahol even more uncomfortable

"Let's discuss that while we are eating." When they both sat by the oak table with a plate of steaming hot food each, she started to talk.

"I'm here to get the third Wyrd key. I know where it is, but I'll need some help to retrieve it. So I'm going to departure for The Red Desert in a few days. There are some people owing me a favor."

Chaol remembered that she had told him once that she had been sent to The Red Desert to train with The Silent Assassins.

It hurt knowing that she wouldn't stay for long, but a part of him felt relived. Something about her was so different now. Changed by the land of the beasts.

"What happened in Wendlyn? The rumor says that The Lost heir of Terrasen fought against The King's men. That she burnt them to ash. Is it true?" Chaol could hear his own accusation in his voice.

"I did burn them to ash, but don't worry Chaol, my powers are gone. Well, I can't reach them at the moment." She might be The Heir of Fire, but to him she was colder than The Frozen Wastes.

For the second time during the night someone opened the door, he really should remember to lock it. Ren walked into the apartment.

"Chaol we need to talk…" his words died out when he saw Aelin by the table and he drew his sword. "You!"

Chaol was about to open his mouth but Aelin was quicker.

"Do you want another round?" Aelin stood and put a hand on the hilt of the ancient blade that hung by her side. She slowly walked towards Ren and looked at him like a predator looks at its pray. "Chaol, tell my why he is in my apartment."

"Her apartment?" The blade in Ren's hand where shaking slightly. Chaol couldn't blame him, he would be petrified as well if Aelin would be looking at him like that.

"Ren Allsbrook, may I present The Lost Heir of Terrasen, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius."

Aelin's perspective

Aelin's heart dropped, it couldn't be Ren, Ren was dead. But some part of her knew that it was true, that the man standing in front of her, who was staring at her with his gray-blue eyes and shock written all over his face, actually was Ren Allsbrook, who was the son to one of Terrasen's formal lords. He bowed to her.

"My queen," he breathed.

Aelin had forgotten how it was, people bowing for her. She didn't like it, at least not anymore.

"Raise." She had a feeling that he would had stayed like that forever if she hadn't said anything.

Ren's perspective

The assassin was the queen. He couldn't comprehend that information. When Chaol said that he had met her before, Ren hadn't in his wildest dreams imagined that it would be she who was the queen.

But when he stared at the woman in front of him, he could see that it was true. She was the female version of Aedion with the turquoise eyes ringed with gold and her golden hair.

"But you are The King's Champion?" He still couldn't wrap his head around it. Why would the heir of a fallen nation work for the man that had crushed it?

"What can I say? Things gets boring if you don't have anything to do." With those words she left him, picking up her plate from the table as she walked to the kitchen. Ren was still staring when she came back a few moments later and passed him on the way to her bedroom.

"I'm going to sleep now. I will kill whoever dares to bother me." Ren had a feeling that it wasn't an empty threat.

"But what about Aedion?" Ren had to ask. Aelin turned around faster than Ren thought was possible.

"What about him?" Her voice was filled with a mixture of emotions.

"He is to be executed in four days." Ren turned to Chaol. "Didn't you tell her?"

The captain ran a hand through his chestnut hair.

"What!" The queens voice was now filled with fiery rage.

Aelin's perspective

Aedion, it couldn't be true. She had to save him. Aelin took a deep breath and cleared her foggy thoughts, tried to get her tired mind to work correctly.

"Four days. That's Dorian's birthday, isn't it? So the king plans a public execution?"

"Yes." Chaol's voice was weak and he didn't meet her stare.

"What more didn't you tell me?"

"Dorian, they… The king put a collar on him and Sorcha, he beheaded Sorcha. Then he imprisoned Aedion. I was the only one who managed to escape."

"Let's get things straight. Dorian was possessed with a Walg prince. Whoever this Sorcha person was, she was beheaded. Aedion was captured. But you, you escaped." Chaol nodded and Aelin shook her head.

She turned around and walked into the closet in her bedroom and in the far back she found what she was looking for.

Dressed in her Tinker's construct suit she left the apartment, two staring men and her tiredness behind and walked straight to The Vaults, the new crime lords headquarter and entered without hesitation. When she left a few minutes later, she was followed by the three men that had been watching her from the moment she entered.

"My dear, are you lost?" One of them said, stepping closer and let a hand stroke her hip.

"It's dangerous for a pretty woman like you to be out during nights like this. You don't know what's lurking in the shadow." One of the other men said, cutting of her way out of the alley. Oh, she knew, but they had no idea.

It was her pleasure to show them just how dangerous things that hid in the cover of the dark could be. She painted the alley with their blood.


	2. Chapter 2 The plan

Chapter 2. The plan

Chaol's perspective

The men spent the entire night in the living room, Ren sleeping on the couch and Chaol staring at the door, waiting for Celaena to come back. Ren woke up a few hours before dawn and they sat together in silence.

Neither Chaol or Ren asked Celaena where she had been during the night when she entered the apartment an hour before dawn. Nor did they asked her about who the blood covering her had belonged too. Chaol just stared as she swept past him on her way to her bedroom and left the lingering the scent of lavender behind. For minutes he just stared at the closed door, trying to convince himself that she was fine and that none of all the scenarios he had imagined leading to her death or capturing had occurred during the long hours he had waited for her.

It wasn't until late afternoon Celaena's bedroom door once again was opened. She was no longer covered in blood, but the ice flame still burnt in her eyes. No words were exchanged when they gathered around the oak table, Chaol were too distracted by the wet strand of hair that was stuck against her cheek and Ren and Aelin by staring each other down.

"So, what's the plan? How the hell are we going to save him, how the hell are we going to save Aedion?" Her voice was steady until the last word, his name seemed to get stuck in her throat.

Ren still couldn't get his eyes of her, Chaol could only begin to imagine what she must look like in his eyes. Surely he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the swearing Adarland's Assassin, the king's Champion, the tornado known as Celaena Sardothien, actually was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, The Lost Heir of Terrassen, Ren's queen. Chaol couldn't either for that matter. The woman he had loved wasn't really Celaena, but Aelin. A queen.

Aelin's perspective

Hours of crucial time was wasted on discussions. There wasn't enough time to come up with a water proof plan, no time to find and plan five different escape routes and figure out the guard situation. The men where no help after Aelin had gotten the little information they had and as soon as she realized that, Aelin left them behind and once more she locked herself in her room.

Both of the men were capable fighters, but Chaol was far too well known around the castle and she didn't trust either of them to watch her own or Aedion's back. That left one option; she would have to do it on her own.

If she did succeed, her enemy would know that The Heir of Terrassen was back in Erilea, ready to fight. Which she wasn't. She didn't feel like a queen, only lost. But she couldn't leave Aedion behind, not again. She had no idea what he would think about her, the look on Ren's face had been enough. Chaol's stare had been even worse, she couldn't meet his intense glare. There was too many memories too find there.

In Wendlyn she hadn't been a monster, only a survivor. Here the rules where different and so was her titles, Fireheart was long gone replaced with monster. By the Wyrd, she wished the bastard would be here, she even missed his smug grin and ugly mug.

Three days left until the execution, Aedion was running out of time.

For hours and hours Aelin sat on the window still, staring at the stars through the dirty window, ignoring Chaol every time he knocked on her door. She sored through all the information that had been given her about the layout of the dungeons and about how the positioning of the guards down in the prison had looked when Chaol still was The Captain of the Royal Guards.

The longer she though, the clearer it became that the task at hand was what some would had called impossible. But she would not be one of them, she could not be one of them, because if she were; Aedion's life was lost.

 _"You could rattle the stars. You could do anything if you only dared. And deep down, you know it too, and that's what scares you the most."_ Elena had told her what felt like ages ago. The ancient queen had been right. Aelin was afraid of her power, not only her magic but the power Arobynn had given her through all the training. But she would not be afraid now, if rattling the stars was what was needed to save her cousin, then that was what she would do.

Aelin fell asleep with her forehead against the cold glass and a prayer for help from her ancestor on her lips. A cry that weren't left unanswered. During her dream long forgotten secrets about the castle was whispered to her carried by the wind from wherever the queen gathered her strength. Secrets about the catacombs and the dungeon were Aedion was held captive. It also came with a warning; darkness dwelled underneath the castle.

After what felt like minutes, Aelin once again woke and she knew that there was no more time to waste. She dyed her hair and used coal based pain to draw markings over her face, knowing they would make it harder to describe her facial features. Still, little could be done about her betraying eyes.

Dressed in her suit and a read cloak, with the hood to conceal most of her face, Aelin sneaked pass Ren who was sleeping on her couch. No one noticed when she disappeared into the night.

Chaol's perspective

He woke up a few hours after dawn, only to find out Aelin was gone. There was no doubt where she where. Only the sour taste of being distrusted. Her room was a mess, weapons and cloths thrown on the floor. The tinker's construct suit where gone and so was what he believed to be a majority of her weapons. Powerless he stared at the mess, knowing that he couldn't do anything to help her. Knowing that she did no longer wanted his help.

Who was this person who had taken the place of his beloved Celaena?


	3. Chapter 3 The escape

Chapter 3. The escape

Aedion's perspective

Darkness surrounded him, unforgiving darkness. Nothing to keep his mind from wandering. Aedion had lost all perception of time. He was chained to the wall and starred at the floor he only could see when a guards brought light as they came to water and feed him, making sure that general would make it too his own execution. Such irony.

He would die, Aedion had accepted that. For a very long time he had known that he would die with regrets. There were many things he regretted and events he wished would had played out differently. He had lived accepting that it would be his faith, using the bottle to ease the pain that came with that knowledge. What he had not accepted was that he would not die in combat, but die when the axe of his executor would separate his head from his shoulders.

Now when he stood chained in his cell, since long lost the feeling of his feet and covered in his own feces, there was only one thing on his mind; the memory of his eight-year-old cousin. He knew he never would be able to replace it with the nineteen-year-old version he knew was out there. There was so many things he needed to know; was she as beautiful as everyone said? Did she still love chocolate? He chuckled at the thought, of course she did, it was Aelin he thought about. Maybe he should be glad instead, he would never have to know what she thought about him and what he had done. His own disgust was bad enough.

Aelin's perspective

Her slow paste was driving her mad as she sneaked through the catacombs. She followed the vague directions Elena had given her through labyrinth of corridors, secret doors and never ending turns and places where the corridors split into more corridors. Still she memorized every turn and change of level, figured out to where in the castle the secret doors would lead and refined her plan.

In every inhale, she could feel the lurking darkness, knowing it felt her too. Her grip on the long knives in her hands never softened, she was always ready for something to appear around the next turn, always wishing it would had been Damaris in her hands. The ancient blade had been left behind in the apartment as it would give away who she really was.

Aedion's perspective

He heard the sudden sound of a fight somewhere outside his cell, it was over so quickly he began to believe his mind was playing games. No alarm sounded, noting did. Not until he heard the sound of a key placed in the lock to his door and the creaking of the door as it was opened. The light from the corridor were blinding.

Lifting his head was an effort, a part of him wished that the person in the doorway would close the door and leave him, he was so tired. Soon his life would be over, two days left if it still was the same day as a guard had visited him last. He guessed it were as his stomach wasn't eating him from within. Aedion felt a chill run down his spine as he was reminded of the guard who had spoken to him, the unhuman stare and empty laugh as told Aedion his life soon would end and that if anyone would try to save him, this person too would die.

He shook his head; he wasn't worth saving, if it was what the person in his cell wanted to do. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he just stared at the person walking towards him. A red cloak, a female figure and wicked looking blade in each hand. A croachan. His life would be ended by a witch. At least better than being executed during the prince's party as entertainment.

But no, she sheathed one of her blades and used her free hand to unlock his chains. When they no longer held him up, he fell to the floor. The witch mercilessly grabbed him a half carried, half dragged him with her. They passed the guard, he was still breathing to Aedion's surprise. Why would she leave a witness behind?

The witch dragged him to a room Aedion guessed belonged to the prison guards. On the floor next to their chairs, four more men laid knocked out and on the table by them stood a nearly empty bottle of alcohol. Aedion picked it up as they passed the table and emptied it in one gulp. The strength of the liquor numbed the painful piece of meat that was also known as his body. Why hadn't she killed him already?

He felt the hard gaze of the witch and replaced the bottle where it had stood before, letting her drag him through what seemed to be a secret passage. A wardrobe that once had been placed against the wall had been knocked over and laid on the floor, revealing an empty whole that lead to a stinking corridor and what seemed to be the catacombs the general had told him about.

His lungs were burning, his breathing shallow and still he ran, not only for his life but the life of the witch who seemed determined not to leave him behind, he had stopped begging her now. They ran for what seemed to be an eternity of darkness and stench. Still she knew exactly where they were going, sure about every turn in the underground maze. The alarm had started to sound through the castle and none of them had mentioned the fact, the witch hadn't said anything else than hurry.

Suddenly she grabbed his shoulder and stopped him, stepping in front of him with the blades once more in her hands. There was a creature before them, an indescribable darkness. The witch fought the beast with the grace of someone who had been trained by a ruthless instructor, her every move perfected. Aedion did not know if she won, only that she waved for him to move.

"Hurry!" Was that the only word she had in her vocabulary?

They ran again, but this time Aedion wasn't able to go on for long. He tripped over his own feet and fell, at least he learned that she knew some cusswords as well. She carried him again, they were moving too slow.

They entered a room, Aedion could make out that there were at least ten passageways they could choose from. He was dumped on the floor and as he tried to stand, everything lost focus and he fell back to the ground.

He felt the sharp pain as the witch cut him after ripping of pieces of fabric from his already torn shirt. She covered one of the pieces in his own blood and the next one to stop the bleeding. Then she ran of leaving him only a knife to defend himself with and a promise to come back.

He saw her a few times, she skipped into one of the passageways and came out from another, using his blood to leave a false trace and when she came back to him, his mind had cleared.

"What are you going to do with me." A witch would only free him if she had any use of him. And the only person he could be used as leverage to was Aelin. He couldn't let that happen.

"Later. We need to move."

"Tell me." Aedion wanted to say more but fell silent when he heard steps coming towards them. Every second he could hear more of them and they came from every direction. Aedion could scent that not all of them where human.

"What is it?" Her voice was merely a whisper, as if she felt what was coming for them.

"We are doomed."

Chaol's perspective

It was midday when a resistance member entered the flat. He carried news from the castle. The Wolf of the North had been killed during his escape attempt and so had the croachan who had been helping him. Both killed by the king's men.  
He had lost her again. This time for real.

 ***Insert crazy evil laughter* The evil writer era has begun.**


	4. Chapter 4 The greetings and farewells

**A/N from future TildaL: So, nearly a year after posting C4 I noticed that an entire chapter is missing. *Bowing to all the applauds you are giving me* Only took a year to find that plot hole… *Applauding myself* Shouldn't mentioned I have reread the entire tory a few times… Heh… It's fixed now**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter 4. The greetings and farewells

Chaol's perspective

Dead, she couldn't be dead. While Ren screamed and broke things, Chaol sat in an armchair staring at the empty space between the decorations on the mantelshelf. What was the time? How long had he just sat here?

A clock, there must had been a clock on the mantelshelf. Celaena was rich enough to own one and he hadn't seen anyone anywhere else in the living room. Had been rich enough, she was dead now.

A crash from Ren punching the wall brought him back. The young lord was furious and stared at him with burning hatred.

"How could you let this happen?" Ren's voice was too low, as if he had to force himself not to scream.

"I let it happen? You told her about the execution. You let her sneak past you." Chaol had raised to his feet, and the men stood just inches apart. The air between them was vibrating, any second hell could break loose.

"Chaol, to be fair, you where the one that left Aedion behind to get captured from the beginning." A cold voice said from behind him, a voice he had never believed he would hear again. He spun around and there she stood by the door, alive.

At first he couldn't see that it was her. Celaena's golden hair was now dark and her face was covered in black as if she had been in rain with the sort of eye makeup the noble ladies used, only she had covered her entire face with it. Chaol walked around the armchair towards her, wanting nothing else than to take her in his arms. She stepped away from him and didn't meet his stare.

"Help me carry Aedion up the stairs."

With joined effort they got the general up the stairs and into her bathroom. She came with a cold comment about the state of her apartment, a comment that made Ren leave them to try to fix the things he had broken.

"How did you do it? How are you still alive? They said that Aedion and the crochan who had tried to save him had been killed. I thought you were dressed as the…" He rambled until she cut him off.

"Shut up for a minute, please." She seemed so tired Chaol did as she asked and together they washed the general in the big tub. He wouldn't be in good enough state to do it on his own for some time. Chaol wanted to comfort her every time they saw new bruises and scars on Aedion's body, at last Chaol sent her to Sam's room to get some of his old clothes.

Celaena used the bath after they were finished with her cousin and when she was done, she sat by Aedion's side as she ate the food Chaol had prepared for her.

He stayed in her room, cleaning the mess she had left behind in the morning as the excuse not to leave. Waiting for her to be ready to tell him what had happened.

Aedion's perspective

He woke up in what felt like heaven. The bed underneath him soft and the stench of the dungeon had been replaced with lavender, Aelin's and therefor Aedion's favourite scent. He was still in pain and he still felt like hell, but everything somehow felt right.

"Aedion." It was the voice of the crochan who had saved him. How had she done it? He remembered nothing after being surrounded in the room.

He turned his head towards her voice, she looked nothing like he had imagined she would look like underneath the hood, blond hair and her eyes. They were like his, Ashryver eyes.

"My queen?" His voice was hoarse and he could not believe it was true. His mind must be playing an awful trick, but his nose confirmed what his heart already knew.

"Your cousin." Her hand was shaking as touched his cheek. Aedion grabbed it and stared at it with a lump in his throat. Scars, there where so many scars covering it. Scars and pain, he had caused it, it was his fault. He remembered her fighting in the catacombs, she shouldn't need to know how to fight like that. Everything she had gone through the last eleven years had been his fault.

"Look at me Aedion, please." His gaze met hers.

"I'm so sorry." The words felt too small, words would never be able to express what he felt. How much he hated himself for what she had endured.

"No, I am." Merely a whisper left her lips.

"If I had been there…" She cut him off and stared at him intensely.

"Had you been there, then you would also have been dead now and I would have no family left. Aedion I do not blame you, not for anything. I know you have killed, but so have I. You did it for our peoples' best, I didn't. Can you forgive me?" She said the words Aedion had been craving for years. This was truly heaven. But he did not like the self-hatred in her voice, he knew it too well.

"You have nothing to be forgiven for. Oh Aelin, I can't believe you are truly here. You saved me, how?"

"I would like to know that as well." The captain spoke from the end of the bed, Aedion hadn't even noticed him until now. The men nodded as a greeting before both stared at Aelin again.

"I got to the dungeon through a secret passageway, knocked out all of the guards making sure they saw the crochan first. I freed Aedion and we took the same route back as I had used before. We fought some sort of Valg on the way."

"You did." Aedion added, wishing he had been strong enough to help her.

"Yeah, then we got to a room with four passageways, I used your blood to leave traces that would confuse the creatures they used to track us."

Four? There had been at least ten and creatures where coming from all directions. It had sounded like hundreds.

Aelin must had seen his confusion.

"You were sick Aedion," she put a hand on his forehead and smiled, "you still are. You started to scream and I had to knock you out so the group of guards coming in our direction wouldn't hear you. We got to the river underneath the castle and when guards found us; you looked pretty dead so I dumped you in the water and pretended to fall after one of them shot me in the chest. Then I spent hours getting us back here." Aelin looked over at Chaol. "What?" Aedion was glad she didn't use that voice when she spoke to him. He knew things had happened between the two and it seemed like things hadn't gotten easier.

"You were shot in the chest?" Chaol asked, Aedion hadn't even thought about that detailed.

Aelin shrugged. "Sam's suit can take an arrow, and I'm not going to complain about the bruise it left on my chest. Chaol come with me." They left the room and Aedion behind, walking far away enough for him not to be able to hear them even with his enchanted hearing.

Aelin was back minutes later with a stern look on her face.

"What is it Aelin. I know something troubles you."

"I'm leaving tomorrow." No she couldn't leave without him. He was never going to leave her side again, not when he finally had gotten her back.

She told him that he couldn't come, that he would slow her down, but that she would come back for him, it would only be a month or two. Chaol entered the room during their fight, only to leave some food for Aedion that he did not touch, to occupied with trying to get Aelin to come around. But there was one more thing than Aelin's love for chocolate that would never change; her stubbornness.

It all ended with Aelin tying Aedion to the bed and him screaming as she packed her things for the journey. The last thing he saw was her fist before entering the darkness again. The last thought that ran though his mind was that Aelin never had been good at farewells.

 **A/N: Laughed so hard that I nearly cried writing the end of this one. In my mind it's so typical Aelin to punch someone in the face to solve her problems.**


	5. Chapter 5 The desert

A/N: Frostbyte Writer, you are the BEST! Thank you so much for all of the help with this chapter.  
Guys don't miss out on all the amazingness Frostbyte has written!

Chapter 5. The desert

Aelin's perspective

It had been necessary knocking him out. Otherwise he would overhear the last planning and try to follow her. Maybe she should feel guilty for cutting him, throwing his unconscious body in a river, tying him and knocking him out more than once. But no, she didn't. If he was stupid enough to believe he could control her, then it was his own stupidity's fault. Aelin left her room and the mighty Wolf of the North knocked out and tied to her bed, behind.

"Ren, don't tell Aedion where Chaol and I are headed. Under the floorboards of my closet, there is a stash of poisons. Give him one capsule each day from the green velvet bag, I think three weeks should be enough."

Ren stared at her, as he so often did. Was it so hard to understand her orders?

"Yes, I want you to lie to and poison Aedion."

Traveling with Chaol was hard. But he was necessary, a young woman traveling alone would seem suspicious and their cover as a married couple had saved them more than once when they were stopped by guards as they travelled across Erilea on their way to The Red Desert.

He never gave up on trying to talk to her, all conversations stiff and every time he asked her about or mentioned Wendlyn, she just gave him short answers making it clear that the subject wasn't allowed territory.

After about three weeks they arrived to Yurpa, the closest city to the Silent Assassins' keep. If you didn't count Xandria, but Aelin did best in staying away from there after what had happened. Using most of their money, she managed to find a man in Yurpa who was prepared to show them the way through the desert to the keep.

They walked for hours over the sand dunes, the heat making Chaol slow and the two others had to wait him in more than once. Aelin was tired, but just the thought of not having to spend as much time with him after they arrived made her stride with her head high. Their guide skidded to a stop, his hand raised pointing in the direction they should continue in. She nodded and thanked the man for following them as far as he had done. Chaol who had been about to protest stared at her, Aelin had a feeling he was gaping behind the cloth covering his mouth.

Chaol's perspective

"They don't go any further." Aelin simply noted before she started to walk in the direction the man had pointed.

She had known all along that they would be left in the middle of the desert and that didn't seem to bother her what so ever. The woman he had known would had ripped the man's heart out for something like this.

"Chaol, it isn't far and I'd rather get there before sundown or before we run out of water." She had a god point.

During the way, Aelin told him about how she had saved The Silent Assassins from Lord Berrick and that they might still feel like they owed her a favour. Even if the money they had given her was what had made is plausible for her to buy herself and Sam free from Arobynn Hamel. Chaol was once again stunned when he realized how much she had gone through.

The keep was nothing like he had imagined, it looked like a lush paradise in the middle of the sandy desert and not like a building filled with murderers. The courtyard was magnificent and they drank directly from the river floating through it before they followed a few Silent Assassin's through the keep. Aelin seemed to know exactly where they were heading, Chaol couldn't help but feel a bit creeped out from all the silence around him.

They were lead to a big double door where another man joined them. He was tanned, with dark hair and strange eyes that didn't leave Aelin for a single second. Chaol held his hand on the hilt of his sword, surprisingly they had let him keep it.

The handsome man walked over to her and removed the piece of fabric concealing her face.

"Ilias." Aelin greeted the man, her voice was so different from when she spoke to Chaol that it stung of jealousy. Ilias gestured to the other and assassins left, dismissed.

"Celaena? You are alive." Aelin looked surprised when she heard his voice but she simply nodded.

He gestured to Chaol, "Sam?" Aelin shook her head now, the pain on her face gone so quickly Chaol began to believe he had imagined it.

"Chaol."

Together they walked through the door leading to what seemed to be a private courtyard. And on a stone in the middle of the largest river Chaol had seen for weeks sat a man meditating.

"Silent Master" Aelin said with her hands put together in a deep bow.

The man opened his eyes and looked at her, "Celaena Sardothien. Long-time no see." Seemed like The Silent Master wasn't so silent after all.

"I'm here to ask for your assistance in the upcoming war." The man only raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Last thing we heard was that you had been captured and sent to Endovier, but our men couldn't find you. Claimed that there was no Celaena Sardothien in the mines"

"They changed my identity after I arrived. A favour I guess, I have many enemies." To Chaol's surprise she didn't even flinch when Endovier was mentioned, before she Wendlyn, her time in the mines had still been an opened wound.

Aelin's perspective

After months of wrangling with Rowan, she had learned how to conceal her pain. Perfected the emotionless mask. Why did she leave him behind? By the Wyrd, she had to stop. She couldn't think about him now.

The Master looked at her, as he was waiting for her to continue. Had he any idea of the emotional storm in her brain?

"You wonder what war I'm talking about." A nod. "The king has to die, it's time for the fallen kingdoms of Erilea to stand again. Do you know how I am?"

"I have my guess, am I right?" This time Aelin nodded, The Master didn't conceal his shock. He stood. "The Queen of Terrassen." He said and from the corner of her eye, Aelin could see Ilias gape. "How can we assist you?" The master bowed and it was Aelin's turn to be shocked.

She hadn't expected them to help her, let alone this. For hours they spoke in the soothing shadows of the keep, planning what was to come. They did so until Aelin was about to fall asleep sitting and she and Chaol was given a room, seemed like she wasn't getting away from him after all. She fell asleep before her head touched the pillow, still dressed.

Chaol's perspective

He woke up in the middle of the night, Aelin's panicked voice cutting through his sleep. "Not for anything in the world… No… Not him, don't hurt him." She sounded so small and afraid. Chaol got up of bed and walked over to her, kneeling on the floor beside her bed, hushing her and stroking her hair. He stayed by her side a few minutes after her breathing had gone back too normal. Still wondering who _he_ had been.

Aelin's perspective

When she woke up she felt restless. She tried not to think about the nightmare or about Chaol soothing her. Instead she got changed and went to the dining hall where she joined Ilias. He gave her a bright smile, a flash of white teeth.

"Are you running to the oasis soon?" A nod. "Can I join?" He raised an eyebrow. "No I won't make you carry me this time." He smiled again and held up five fingers, they were leaving in five minutes, seemed like brekfast would have to wait.

Aelin had been aware that Rowan had been a heartless trainer, even worse than Arobynn. That showed when she easily kept up with Ilias in the lead of the pack as they ran over the dunes. After they reached the oasis she was ready to leave again after mere minutes, she just drank some water and filled her buckets. Ilias seemed surprised when he realized she was waiting for him to finish.

They started to run back again and she called out to him, telling him he was slow and they both laughed when they speed up. At first he was just behind her, but as the minutes passed she outran him and when she could see the keep she started to sprint.

Chaol's perspective

Aelin had left when he woke up, it took him an hour to find his way to the dining hall. There were surprisingly few people in the keep and a child told him that they were running through the desert as morning training and he should wait for them in them on the western side of the keep and so he did.

She came springing towards him, using a carrying-pole to balance two buckets of water over her shoulder. She skidded to a stop when she entered the yard, her breaths uneven, she nodded to Chaol before she put her burden down and drank some of the water. Ilias was minutes behind, falling to the ground breathing heavily when he arrived.

"What, you hadn't expected to have to carry me again?" Aelin laughed and so did the man. When he shrugged, she simply picked up one of her buckets dumping all of the water over him. The assassin yelped and Aelin laughed harder.

Chaol hadn't heard her laugh like that in a long time, and he had missed the sound. But he had a strong feeling it would be long until he would be the reason she laughed at all.

"I didn't know your father had the power to decide if you would help us or not." So Ilias was The Silent Master's son, interesting. He shook his head. "He doesn't." Aelin said and Ilias nodded. "So you voted even before I came." Ilias nodded again. "You didn't know I would come." He shook his head. Chaol began to lose track of the conversation between them. Surprised Aelin hadn't threatened the man to gut him if he didn't speak up and gave her straight answers as they knew he wasn't really mute.

They were ready to leave the keep three days later. The Silent Assassins would sponsor them with money and men when the time came. Chaol was glad to leave, these people freaked him out. He was a quiet person, but this was too much. They stood on the courtyard, as if they were waiting, Chaol had no idea why. Not until Ilias came walking towards them, dressed in clothes fit for wandering though the desert and carrying a pack. Chaol looked at Aelin who didn't seem surprised. She had known all along.

"He is coming, isn't he?" She nodded.

Wasn't it enough to have to travel with one person who rarely spoke to him? Now Chaol would have to travel with two silent assassins.


	6. Chapter 6 The journey

**Here comes a few short chapters. Hope you'll enjoy!**

Chapter 6. The Journey

Chaol's perspective

It took Chaol a few days to accept their new companion and a few more days to start enjoying the man's company. It was nice to have someone else there, someone who did not hate him and could stand acknowledging his existence for more than a few seconds at a time. Ilias might be silent, but Chaol wasn't much of a talker either and they found their own way to communicate.

Aelin was eager to get back to Rifchold and they travelled at high speed. Every night she left the men by the camp, some nights she trained close by and they could hear her hacking away at the poor trees. Other nights she was gone for hours.

They had set up camp in a glade and Aelin had left them as usually. Chaol and Ilias sat by the campfire.

"What did you do?" Chaol was surprised when he heard the other man speak. He hesitated for a long while before he answered.

"I got her best friend killed and when I found out what she is, at first I couldn't accept it. Now she hates me and is too late."

"And Sam?" What did Ilias know about Sam?

"What about Sam?"

"They told me that that was the name of the man she turned me down for." Well that was surprising.

"He is dead. Her former master had him killed before he had her sent to Endovier." Ilias nodded slowly.

"And what about you two?" Chaol had to know.

Ilias smiled and looked like he was thinking of a good time.

"This stranger came to the keep, sent by her master to train with us. She was so unlike anyone I had ever met before, filled with fire and sorrow and..." He hesitated. "We became friends, I think. When I wanted more she rejected me and after saving all of us she left. Had to go back to her master." Ilias smile disappeared, he was once again lost in the past.

Aelin's perspective

She went through some of the exercises she had done with Rowan. Lost herself in the flowing movements, emptied her mind. For minutes she was calm, when her heartrate was as low as it got, she equipped a throwing knife and spun around. The knife hit its target and she used Damaris to fight imaginary enemies. She spun around, ducked and threw herself forward in an attacks. She kept going until she lost all breath, then she heavily sat down on the ground with her head in her hands.

What she and Chaol had was gone. Too much had happened and they had both changed. She had to accept that Nehemia was dead and she only blamed Chaol because it was easer like that. Nehemia's death was her own fault, not his. Yes, Chaol did leave Aedion behind to be captured by the enemy, but he would never had managed to escape together with either Dorian or Aedion. If he had stayed, the prince might not be the only one with a collar around his neck and a Valg locked inside him. And for Chaol hating Faes, he had grown up in Adarlan after all, taught to fear and hate everything that had anything to do with magic from a young age. And she too had feared both her Fae shape and magic, hated it.

Aelin put Damaris back in its scabbard. No she could not treat Chaol like dirt anymore, he was her allied after all. But if he waited for her to say sorry. He would die waiting. She would not say sorry. Rowan was right calling her a stubborn bitch.


	7. Chapter 7 The hawk view

Chapter 7. The Hawk view

Rowan's perspective

He felt the wind ruffling his feathers, the power in every beat of his wings. Rowan let out a cry. Underneath him, the world swished by. He was free, but freedom wasn't much worth when you were alone.

She was on his mind every waken second and in his dreams every night. The woman with hair like gold, striking turquoise eyes ringed with gold and three scars covered with his ink on her back. He missed her beautifully annoying grin and her sharp wit. Even her sarcastic tone and her unimpressed snort.

Before he met her, he had forgotten how it felt to laugh. Forgotten how it felt to have someone who could understand him and cared about him.

The wind had carried him to the ocean and if he let the wind take him further. If he only continued on, he would reach her. But he couldn't. He would keep the promise he had given her.

So he turned left and flew along to shore. Still battling his heart that pulled him there, to the continent he had never seen. To his queen, his Fireheart. She was his, the same way he was hers. They had claimed each other.

To whatever end.


	8. Chapter 8 The return to Rifchold

Chapter 8. The return to Rifchold

Aedion's perspective

When Aelin got back, Aedion was going to… He didn't know. Maybe tie her to a bed. His queen couldn't leave him behind like that. He was her protector, Chaol wasn't. The captain might be skilled but unlike him, Chaol thought about other things than her wellbeing.

Ren had poisoned him for weeks and the poison kept him bedbound. Aedion had spent his days plotting his revenge until he realized that it was Aelin who had ordered the young lord to keep him poisoned. After he was able to leave the bed again, he spent his time rebuilding the strength he had lost and helping the rebels as much as he could.

When he returned to the apartment exactly six weeks after her departure, he scented her in the stairwell. Aedion ran up the last steps and threw himself into the apartment, there she was. He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, making sure that she was alright.

She looked exhausted, but smiled at him and for the first time in weeks, the tightness around his chest eased.

"Aedion, I'm fine." He let her go and turned to the newcomer in the room. He had never seen the man before.

"This is Ilias. The son of The Silent Master and out new ally." She placed a hand on Aedion's cheek and turned his face towards her, _play nice_ her eyes said.

He stepped closer to Ilias. "I'm her protector and if you as much as touch her…" Aelin grabbed him again and Ilias couldn't hide his amusement. She dragged Aedion with her up on top of the roof of the warehouse.

She had told him to play nice and he did, only his niceness stretched as far as to not spitting in Ilias's face and he told her that. Aelin just shook her head.

Together they sat on the roof, with only the bare sky above and watched as the sun rose above the rooftops by the horizon. For the first time in weeks he was able to rest, knowing that she was okay. If she had died… Aedion had no idea what he would had done, how he would had kept going.

"Tell me about Orynch." She sounded so small, he did as she asked. He told her about the castle and its princess who was a real bully underneath the sweet surface and her cousin who was her loyal servant. They laughed when he told her about the mischievous things they had done. Then they fell silent again and Aedion studied her profile as she stared straight ahead.

"I can't remember their faces from when they were alive. I don't know what my parents looked like." _When they were alive_ , she had seen their corpses. Aedion had to take a deep breath, stoping himself from asking her. There were no emotions in her words, it was just a fact. "I don't remember much at all, the only thing I remember clearly is the library." At that he put his arm around her.

"When we have won this war and it is time for us to rebuild out home, the old library of Orynch will be a joke. If I so have to build the new library by myself it's going to be bigger and better, containing millions of books." She smiled now. By the Wyrd, he would do anything to make her smile. She was his sun, the centre of his universe. Her rays where vital for him.

Aelin's perspective

She knew he told the truth, he would do anything for her. That was Aedion, loyal to his last breath. She couldn't hold back the yawn, it had been hard weeks on the road and she was exhausted.

Aedion helped her up with a smile and bowed to her. "My queen."

She slept for hours. When someone dared to enter her room to tell her food was ready, she simply replied by throwing a pillow at them. Her bed, she had missed her bed. It was huge and the most comfortable place she knew.

Except for Rowans arms. No, not now. She could not think about him now. But he was always on her mind, even in her sleep. She had dreamt about them running through the forest. She missed her running in her true form, missed running with him, missed him.

Aelin got out of bed, trying to get her mind on anything else she walked out into her living room.

The apartment was filled to its limit. Five people was too much for the small space. But it wouldn't stay like that for long. It was time for her to meet the rebels, so when Chaol left to meet them, she simply followed him.

Chaol's perspective

He met the rebels in the sewer by the docks and they started exchanging information. The others told him what had happened during the weeks he had been gone and asked where he had gone, they didn't know Aelin was back in Erilea. He simply said he could not say.

Suddenly they heard steps behind them, all of the men drew their weapons facing the intruder.

Close, the steps where far too close, they should had noticed earlier. From the shadows a black dressed figure emerged, her swagger and grace was enough for Chaol to know who she was. There was a wide and wicked grin on her lips.

"You are a surprisingly easy group of men to find." She chuckled when she saw their stunned faces. Chaol looked around him and saw the fear in the other men's eyes.

"My queen." The words felt wrong, but he still bowed.

"Is this her?"

"Yes I certainly am and you are the leaders of the group associating with Archer." Her words where arrows aimed at their hearts.

"We didn't know about his plans." One of them said and Aelin shrugged.

"Good." The men bowed and Aelin simply nodded.

"Raise, we have to find somewhere safer to speak." Chaol had heard her use the voice before, the voice of a queen. His queen. Or was she? Dorian was his king and Chaol had promised him he would follow Aelin as long as they worked against the same goal. An Erilea in peace. The same cause Nehemia had worked and died for.

Aelin seemed pleased when she was informed about the state of the rebel movement in both Wendlyn and Erilea. She nodded when she heard that after the word about the Terressan heir still being alive had spread, their numbers had increased.

"So we are doing this." Chaol said and looked around him. _There are no more hiding now_.


	9. Chapter 9 The killer and the dog

_**This chapter is for you Frostbyte writer. Thank you for all your help! I thought of messing with you, but I'm not going to kill someone you love in this chapter. Although I thought about it...**_

 _ **I'm sorry if here's about 163 misspellings (I'm sure you will count Frostbyte)**_

Chapter 9. The killer and the dog

Aelin's perspective

"I want to see her." Aelin said as they walked back from the meeting with the rebels. Chaol looked confused and she clarified. "Fleetfoot."

"Now?" Aelin nodded.

For an hour they walked through the capital, staying out of sight and hiding every time a patrol of guards passed by. At last they entered the alley beside a bakery in the outskirts of the city. Aelin's stomach hurt as the divine scent filled her nose, she started to regret throwing a pillow at whoever had offered her food earlier, it was far too long since she had eaten anything.

Chaol knocked on a door and Aelin forgot everything about food when she heard the sound of barking from behind the door. It opened slightly a golden creature pressed its way through the small opening.

Aelin was knocked over by Fleetfoot, the dog stepping on her and licking her face. She put her arms around her dog and buried her face in Fleetfoot's soft fur.

"Hi girl. I've missed you to." A tear found its way down Aelin's cheek. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her dog.

"Is that her?" Aelin looked up at the hooded figure in the doorway who had spoken.

"Who are you?" Aelin knew nothing about the person, not even gender.

"They call me Frostbyte, I was the one who took care of Fleetfoot for you."

Frostbyte sat down on her knees and Fleetfoot walked over without hesitation.

"Be good now. I love you." It was a short goodbye, but Aelin could tell that her dog had been in good hands. "Don't leave her again. She deserves better." The person truly loved the dog.

Aelin nodded and Frostbyte closed and locked the door after throwing a last glance at Fleetfoot.

The dog whined when they left, making it clear that she loved Frostbyte back.

"Who was that?" Aelin asked Chaol a few minutes later.

"Frostbyte, a known rebel and a ruthless killer."

"Killer?"

"I have seen her kill more than once." They said nothing more on the way back to the apartment. Aelin was to distracted by the dog walking besides her.

Thank you again Frostbyte Writer. You are the best.


	10. Chapter 10 The queen and the theif

**I'm a horrible person, I know**

Chapter 10. The queen and the thief

Aelin's perspective

She met with the rebels several times the following days. Never telling them anything about where she had been after escaping death as a child until showing up in Wendlyn first eleven years later. They knew nothing about her time as Celaena Sardothien.

She was shocked when she was informed about one of the men who was loyal to the rebels, Nox Owen. Never had she imagined that one of the other champions would be a part of the rebellion, but if it would by one of them, Nox would had been her bet. They had been close during their training, especially after she saved his life. He had been the only one knowing that she was actually Adarland's assassin and not a simple jewellery thief.

Aelin ordered a meeting to be set up with him and the following day she left Rifchold and a furious Aedion behind. She would only be gone for the day and he accepted to stay put only because he knew she wouldn't hesitate to knock him out and poison him again if needed.

The meeting was to take place in an inn in a village too small to be mentioned on any map. It was located close to the capital and the travel had been easy enough. Aelin was given a run-down room, but it was far from the worse she had been staying in. A part of her was nervous to see Nox again. What was she going to tell him? He had accepted her as Celaena Sardothien, would he be able to accept him as The Lost Heir of Terrassen?

Someone knocked on the door and she took a deep breath before walking over to it.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"A friend of a friend," answered the person outside. Aelin opened the door and was greeted by the thief's starling grey stare.

"Get in." She closed the door behind him and Nox took her hand and kissed it as he bowed low.

"Lillian… Or should I say Celaena? You weren't who I expected." He stared at her for a few seconds and shook his head. "Oh, I should say queen. How did I miss that before?"

They sat next to each other on the dirty wooden floor.

"So you are Aelin." She nodded and told him a piece of her story. How Arobynn had taken her in and how she had ended up in Endovier. She ended with telling him how the king had sent her to Wendlyn. He stared at her during her entire story, not looking away once.

"What about you?"

"I stayed in Rifchold after the competition. Stole from the rich and gave to the rebels. I have been a supporter for years and figured I could do more here than in Perranth."

They sat silent for a long while until Nox started to chuckle, Aelin joined, the whole situation was too bazaar. For hours the talked about anything that wasn't important and laughed more. Aelin had missed laughing, but the man next to her had raven hair, opposite to the hair of the man she wished would be there with her.

Something hit the window and Aelin flew to her feet. She looked out and felt her heart in her cheast.

"What is wrong?"

"Stay here. It's an order." Aelin jumped out the window, landing gracefully two stories lower on the grass underneath. A few feet away stood one of Arobynn's assassins, she swaggered over to him, as if filled with the confidence of someone who stood eye to eye with one of the men who hadn't been able to beat her, even as a child.

"Did you come to get your assed kicked?" She smiled lazily.

"Bitch" the man said grimly. "I'm here with a massage."

"So you're the errand boy now, adorable." She heard him mutter cusses and waited, showed no trace of the panic within her.

"It has come to Arobynn's attention that an assassin who is not bound by his treaty has killed within his city, one of yours. You know the rules; if you don't pay in money you do in blood." Aelin started sprinting before she heard the end. She had carried out the punishment more than once, she had to stop it.

She was a shadow in the night, just another lost soul wandering the continent.

Her feet barely touched the ground as she ran faster than possible for any human.  
As fast as the night Nehemia was murdered  
As fast as she should had run the night Sam was murdered.

She would not be too late again.

No one would die.

But she was too late.

He was already dead.


	11. Chapter 11 The death of a loved one

****Warning* This chapter is not one of the cute fluffy ones. I guess you could figure it out by the title.**

Chapter 11. The death of a loved one

She was too late.

Hours too late.

Hours he had been suffering.

She saw him lying there on the ground.

Dead.

Ilias was dead.

She thought of the young man that she had laughed with. Whom she had danced with and had become a friend with.

He was dead. Gone.

He would never come back.

She could not believe it was true.

Ilias was dead and it was her fault.

If she had not brought him here, he would still be alive.

She made herself look at the battered body that once had been Ilias.

She threw up when she realized.

She heard steps behind her. She turned around with a knife in each hand and that moment she was absolutely calm. Filled with the bloodlust of a predator watching her prey.

But it was not one of Ilias murderers, it was Chaol and Aedion.

"Aelin, what's going on?" Aedion looked scarred at her.

"He is dead." She let out a quiet sob. "Ilias is dead." She had to take a deep breath to continue. "Arobynn had him killed."

Aedion walked towards her. Stretched out a hand to wipe a tear of her cheek.

"Was this a message from Arobynn to warn other assassin's to stay out of his territory?" Chaol said with a voice full of fury.

"No it wasn't."

"Then what did it mean?" He looked puzzled.

"This was a message for me." She had to swallow her sobs down. Not now.

"How can you be so sure?" Why? Why did he have to ask her that?

"His injuries. They have broken every single one of his fingers, bent them the wrong way. His torso… Burns. There are many burns. And his face, deep… Deep slices in the flesh. Not just his face, the whole body. He is naked. They wanted me to see it all." She wanted to throw up again. But the content of her stomach was already gone. "And his eyes, they ripped out his eyes."

The others where dead silent.

"This is a message to me. Arobynn is warning me. Ilias is dead because of me." She knew it was the truth.

"You can't be sure." Chaol's voice was hoarse.

"Yes I can!" This time she screamed. "Because this is what they did to him. They did exactly the same thing to Sam. And Arobynn knows he will get away with it. Just as he did the last time." She was gasping for air.

"He won't get away with it. I will kill him. I will kill him for what he did to you. He will never do anything to you again." Aedion had his arms wrapped around her.

"No Aedion. He will get away with this." Her voice was surprisingly steady.

"We have to revenge Ilias."

"No Aedion."

"I will do it myself. You are not coming with me."

"You are not going to kill Arobynn."

"He killed one of ours!"

"Don't you understand!? I can't lose you too! You are the only family I have left. What had I done if it had been you there!? That could had been you." She was shaking him. "We are leaving Erilea."

"Aelin, what are you talking about? We can't leave, we can't let him win. I can't let him hurt you anymore! I'm your protector. Let me protect you Aelin." Aedion was desperate.

"If you want to protect me, come with me to Wendlyn. Do you want me to be safe? Take me there. Take me away from the man that has been hurting me for the last decade" She knew it was a hit under his belt.

"But…"

"There are someone in Wendlyn. He will help us. Right now he is working on an alliance with Wendlyn."

"Do you trust him?" This time Chaol spoke.

"Yes, with my life, with my kingdom, with everything in this world." She didn't hesitate for a second. She trusted Rowan. She trusted him far more than she trusted herself. Chaol looked surprised. She had never been speaking about this man before, it had hurt too much to think about him.

They got back to the apartment without any accidents. But they had left Ilias body in the alley there they found him. There they packed the things they needed and then left Rifchold before dawn.

Ilias was dead.

She was the one to blame.

Still she felt lighter knowing she was headed for Rowan.

Her Rowan.


	12. Chapter 12 The magic returns

Chapter 12. The magic returns

Chaol's perspective

They had found a ship in a port close to Skull's Bay with help of a contact to the rebels. After the ship owner had understood who Aelin was, he had been eager to help them. They had sailed for weeks now.

Ren came running across the deck with a crazy look in his eyes.

"Have you seen her?"

"Aelin is probably below deck, just as always."

"No, the dog. The beast has stolen my food." Ren sounded furious and Chaol couldn't help but laugh at the young lord.

"Fleetfoor has probably already eaten all of it."

Ren walked away swearing. Chaol's thoughts wandered back to Aelin. After the night they had found Ilias's corpse, she hadn't spoken much, distanced herself even more than before. He tried to give her space.

Aedion's perspective

He was worried about her, as he sat in the corner of the ship's cargo space and watched as she swirled around with blades in her hands, killing imaginary enemies. She was deadly and Aedion couldn't understand how any human could defeat her. One night when he managed to get her to talk, she had told him that Arobynn was the only one who she never managed to defeat.

Most of the time she ignored Aedion and everyone else. When she spoke it was to give orders.

Aedion wished she had cried, she hadn't since that night. He knew she locked the guilt within and let it consume her instead, he felt helpless as he had no idea what to do.

Suddenly a wave of nausea hit Aedion and at the same time, Aelin fell to the ground puking. They had crossed an invisible border. He knew that it was his magic that had returned, felt it within. He had some magic in his blood, but nothing like her.

"What is happening?" Nox shouted from the opening to the cargo space, the thief had joined them a day after they had left Rifchold.

"Get out," Aelin said between her regurgitations. "Both of you."

Aelin's perspective

She had to change now. "Get out." She screamed now and the men obeyed. As soon as they had closed the hatch behind them a flash of light filled the space. When she no longer though against the change, the pain disappeared and she was once more in her true shape.

The space had seconds ago been dark, but now she saw clearly. By the wyrd, it stank, the vomit by her hands had a lot to do with it. She stood up and stretched before reaching within herself gathering some of her power.

The flame in the palm of her hand was small and controlled. Suddenly she felt how something pulled in her. It was the bound, she could feel him.

Rowan's perspective

The bound was back, Aelin was coming. In a few weeks she would be with him and he would whole. He was going to take her in his arms and never let her go again.


	13. Chapter 13 The reunion

**Sorry for posting the wrong chapter earlier and thank you to the one that told me.  
** **So many perspectives so little time.**

Chapter 13. The reunion

Chaol's perspective

He stood on the deck, watching the land. It came closer and closer. The continent he had never seen before. The land he feared. A land with magic. Half an hour later the shore was so close. He heard the cry of a hawk and saw a flash of light far away. A man came running. He was a mountain. Then something ran past him and leapt over the at least 400 feet water between the ship and the shore. It was Aelin. Next to him Aedion gasped for air. "She is perfect."

Aelin's perspective

She landed on the shore and started to sprint, a blade of fire in each hand. She ran towards him, towards Rowan. He was so close. A dagger of ice came launching for her head and she avoided it with ease. He had a blade of steel ready for her. They fought. She could hear Aedion roar in the background. But she didn't care. She was laughing. Wind blew her off her feet and she was lying on the ground. The second later Rowan was on top of her, punched her in the face. Then she was on top of him, she hit him twice before another wind sent her flying back. Then they circled around each other again.

Aedion's perspective

A male fought Aelin. Aedion could not allow this. He had to protect her. He let out a roar. This stupid thing had to go faster. He had to get to land and protect her. All he saw was a blur of steel and fire. A lethal dance. Then he heard them. They was laughing.

Aelin's perspective

They fought for a few more minutes. Then she let her flames die and he put his blade back at his side. They stared at each other for a few seconds and then she was pressed against him. His arms was wrapped around her and his forehead was pressed against hers. "Fireheart" he whispered. When she was in his arm's she was complete.

Chaol's perspective

Seeing another man with his arms around Aelin made Chaol sick. How they pressed their foreheads against each other's and looking each other deep in the eyes. The man was huge, at least 7 feet tall. But it wasn't a man, not really. He was a fae, with fangs and claws. The monster from Chaol's nightmares. And so was Aelin.

Rowan's perspective

She was here. She was in his arms. He pressed her against him. His carran. He didn't care about anything else than her, but he would never tell her how perfect she was. Her ego was already too big. "You stink" he said with a grin. She started to laugh again.

"Bastard." She murmured to his chest. Suddenly he heard someone clearing his throat behind them. It was the first time in a hundred years that anyone had sneaked up on him. Had been so concentrated on Aelin. He let her go turned around with his fangs bared and making sure to protect Aelin from the attacker. His eyes met those of the crown prince Galan Ashryver.

Aelin walked pass Rowan. "I don't think introductions are needed." She nodded towards the prince with a grin. Galan stared at them with chock written all over his face.

"Yes, I was also surprised to realize that the old stubborn bastard knew how to smile." Aelin said. She turned her gaze to Rowan. _Did you tell him anything?_ Her eyes asked, they were filled with panic. He could see right through the mask of confidence. _No, calm down. Don't pass out, I don't feel like carrying you._ She nodded slightly and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She looked back at Galan. The crown prince bowed to her. Rowan saw how Aelin's body tensed.

"It's an honor to meet you queen Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. What brings you to Wendlyn?" Rowan wondered the same. She wasn't supposed to be back yet.

"We had some troubles in Adarlan." What? Aelin gestured towards him, she would tell him everything later.

"So you are here to ask us for aid?"

"I didn't know you did such a thing." Her words was sharp. Rowan let a cold breeze caress her face. Once again she gave him a gesture with her hand. She sighed

"I would need some time to catch up with my allies." Galan froze.

"She didn't come either and he is one of her lackeys, one of her blood sworn. I'm sorry prince Rowan." There was no question who she was, _Maeve._ Galan looked apologetically at Rowan.

"I was." Rowan opened his mouth for the first time this conversation.

"But not anymore." Aelin filled in. Aelin looked at Rowan again. She looked so tired now and so old, she had the eyes of someone that had seen too much.

"My troops have set camp a few miles from here, your highness and your men can stay with us, we can talk more when you are rested. How many are you?"

"Seven including a dog." She had brought Fleetfoot, something must had gone really bad. Aelin looked at him. _What do you think? Come with me to my camp, the others can stay with the troop tonight. Galan can be trusted. We need to talk._ She nodded.

"My men will come with you, Rowan and I need to go through some things." Galan nodded. She could see that he had to restrain himself from pressing her for information. Aelin started to walk back to the ship and Rowan was close behind. He filled his nose with her scent, his Aelin was back.

 **Thank you for all the reviews on the story, it makes my day**


	14. Chapter 14 The explanations

**Sorry for the lack of uploading. I'll try to be better. But we've all been there, school…**

Chapter 14. The explanations

Aelin's perspective

"Are you ready to tell me?" She didn't need to ask what he was talking about, she already knew.

Breathing got harder and she had to blink to keep the tears away. But when she felt the heat from him, the pressure of his body against her back and his breaths against her neck, she could not keep the tears away.

"Why are you crying, Fireheart?

She continued sobbing.

"Fireheart-why do you cry?"

She could hear pain in Rowan's words. Her tears hurt him. He used one arm to turn her around. So she looked at him. She felt as someone took all the air out of her lungs. She had heard those words before, the exact same words. The words her mother had said to her inn Wendlyn. Then she smiled.

"Because I am lost. And I don't know the way. Or I was"

She was quiet for a few seconds before continuing. "I am not lost any more. I have found my way."

She whispered the last part before she rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

Rowan's perspective

He was awake for a long time. Thought of her words. He knew what she meant, because he felt the same way. After he lost Lyria, he had lost himself.

When he finally had gotten over the worse pain, he did not know how to go back. How to become Rowan again. He was not the same as he had been. Too much had happened.

But when he was with Aelin.

He stroke her hair and whispered softly. "We have found our way home. Together"

Aelin's perspective

She woke up in his arms. Looked at him in his sleep. How soft his face was when the grim expression was gone. Listened to his steady breaths.

Aelin lifted her hand and stroke a white strand of hair back behind his pointy ear. Then she turned around ready to get up. "Don't" Rowans voice was hoarse from just waking up. She did as he told her and laid down again. They looked at each other for a long time. She knew it was time.

"When I returned, Aedion had been captured and his execution was set to be in four days." She began. Then she told him everything that had happened. When she came to the part when she saw the assassin Arobynn had sent, her voice cracked. She could had told him the most of the story with their bound but she would had to see him in the eyes. She couldn't meet his gaze.

"They killed him, they killed Ilias because of me. Just like Sam."

Rowan roared and took her chin in a firm grip. Made her look at him. It's not your fault.

It is. They did the same thing as they did to Sam. Rowan's hand round her cheek stopped her from looking away. Look at me Fireheart. Please. He let her go, but she stayed. Looked at him. For minutes they just looked at each other.

At last Rowan opened his mouth "You really need to take a bath, you stink." A slight smile spread on her lips. Then she swore, she had left her other clothes at the ship and those she had worn was just shreds after months at sea.

She stood up. Her clothes was in a pile and he was right. They smelled and so did she. She brought them with her and Rowan's shirt as well. She followed the sound of a river. First she washed her clothes. She washed them for minutes and still, she could not get out the smell. Swearing she burnt the clothes. Then she took a bath, the water was ice-cold, but she heated it with some magic.

She got up from the water and used her magic to dry and pulled on Rowan's shirt, it was huge. His scent was everywhere around her and she took a few deep breaths. They were together again, everything was going to be fine.

Rowan's perspective

The pain in her eyes had hurt him so. He had wanted to kill that man, had been close to turn and then use the wind to take him to Rifchold. To use his claws to rip out Arobynn's eyes and then kill him, slowly. He hadn't been able to move until Aelin was gone. When he got up his shirt was gone.

He had prepared food when she got back. When he saw her in his shirt a smile spread on his lips. She was right, he was territorial. She looked at him.

 _What?_ Her eyes asked. _Where are the rest of your clothes?_ He responded. She gave him a challenging smile that made him want to growl _. Don't you think the soldiers will like this?_

He must had flinched, because she started to laugh. She was going to kill him one day. They would had liked it, but not as much as he did. He gave up _. Do you want food or not?_

He flew back to Aelin's ship. When he turned back to fae shape, a man came out from below deck.

"Where are Aelin?" The man in front of Rowan was tall, still shorter than Rowan. He had short chestnut hair and three parallel scars running along his face, Chaol.

"Where is Aelin's cabin?" The men stood and watched each other for a while. Rowan had a feeling the surprise in the man's eyes had something to do with that Rowan was shirtless.

Rowan shrugged and sniffed. He followed Aelin's scent down where Chaol had come from.

He held the suit in his hands, it smelled like her. He had to depress the instinct of burying his nose in the fabric.

He studied the suit closer, the person designing this had been a genius, and all blades was hidden masterly. Without his enhanced eyes he would never had been able to spot them.

This was what her life had been like.

Darkness and steel.

Not all that different from his.


	15. Chapter 15 The truth

**I've been posting on this site for 15 days now. And this is the 15** **th** **chapter. I just wanted to thank you for all the support. A big shootout to Frostbyte Writer, for every laugh and all of the hair I've ripped out reading your stories.  
** **Also thanks' for all of your reviews; Lanoon, mysteries of the future (btw, love your name) and toglover.  
** **Okay, I'll shut up now and go on with the story.**

Chapter 15. The truth

Aedion's perspective

He was infuriated. She had left with a Fae warrior, _Rowan_. Without Aedion and his protection. He was worried for her and if it wasn't for Chaol, he would had chased after them. Aedion was standing outside the camp staring at the forest Aelin ad Rowan had disappeared into. And he watched as two figures came out of the shadows under the trees.

He watch how they walked next to each other, completely calm. During the few minutes it took for them to get to him, he saw a completely new side of Aelin. She grinned and chuckled. Well, it wasn't new but it hadn't been there since he meet her again. Rowan had a smile on his lips as well. When they got close enough he heard the last part of their conversation. Rowan must had said something that annoyed her. Aelin swore and then she drew her elbow into Rowan's side. "Buzzard" she said to him and the grin on Rowan's face got wider. Then, it disappeared completely.

"Anything to rapport?" She asked Aedion. "No my queen." She nodded towards him as an answer. Then they continued. They walked through the camp to the crown prince's tent.

Aelin's perspective

During their walk she felt the eyes of the men upon her. The word must had spread that the lost heir of Terrasen was back. That she was there and that she had company with one of Maeve's Cadres. _If I wore my other outfit they would have had another reason to stare._ She told Rowan with her eyes. _Me shirtless, you mean?_ He rose his eyebrows and so did she. And they both had to do their best to hide their grins.

They reached the crown prince's tent and Aelin just walked in. Galan stood by a wooden table with a map. He was surrounded by men, Aelin guessed it was his advisers. He turned around and the eyes hat was so similar to Aelin's own met hers.

"I hope you are rested." He gave her a polished smile.

"I certainly am." She purred.

"How are you still alive?" She wasn't prepared for the straightforward question. Neither of the softness in his voice.

"Many reasons." She didn't know what else to say. He, rather is father was her best shot at winning this war. What was she going to tell him? He nodded. She only saw one option.

"I'm going to tell you the truth. Right now, your country is fighting a war on several fronts. And one of your enemies are Adarlan. You might think that I'm wrong. That Adarlan is far away, on another continent and if they come here. They have no magic. The truth is that they crushed two great nations effortless. Banned all magic. Adarlan won't be done, not when they have demolished the last part of Eyllwe and my rebels. Wendlyn is the next target. And then the rest of this world. After that, there are several other worlds. He banished magic once and he can do it again. I know how he did it, and I think I can get it back. The last time he sent his men to this continent, they attacked the demi-faes. I know why, and next time I know it won't be us he attacks. It will be your people. And there will be a next time, for sure. I have information that can save you. Without it, your people are dead."

She saw the prince's olive skin become pale and heard him gasping for breath.

"I don't wish the destiny of my own people to anyone else. I don't want to see your men die, to see woman and children in a blood bath and those who survive it… The camps… No one, no one deserves that living hell. So, I'm going to tell you, the only thing I ask in return is that you will consider helping us. That might be your only chance. More chance then we ever had."

She stared at the prince and he had a hard time meeting her stare. She had a feeling no one had told him the naked truth. How bad the situation was. She could read the pain in his eyes. He was old enough to remember, to have understood when they abandoned Terrasen. That they had ignored her parents begging for aid. Now he understood that she could do the same. Leave his people to their own destiny.

It was the truth, without each other death was a certainty.

Together, maybe…


	16. Chapter 16 The hill

**Thank you for all of your amazing response to the last chapter!  
It makes it so much more fun to write when you know people enjoy your work. **

Chapter 16. The hill

Aelin's perspective

She turned around, ready to walk out of the tent.

"Where are you going?" Galan said behind her.

"You need to speak to your men and I need to speak to mine." She didn't turn around and faced him.

"Thank you. For telling the truth." Aelin guessed Galan didn't know what else to say. She nodded and left the tent with Rowan and Aedion following.

Aedion showed them the way to the tent where he, Chaol, Nox and Fleetfoot had spent the night. When they came closer, Fleetfoot started to bark. They walked in and Rowan was immediately pulled over by her. She stood in his lap waving her tail and tried to lick him.

"Aelin, get this creature off me!" Rowan nearly screamed. Aelin laughed at him.

"I think she likes you." She waited a few moments before continuing. "Fleetfoot, come here girl." Fleetfoot stepped down from Rowan and came over to Aelin.

Chaol's perspective

Chaol watched as Aelin reached out a hand to help the Fae up. The Fae took her hand, but instead of standing up, he dragged her down. They wrestled for a few seconds before they both stood. Chaol found it hard watching the Fae. Earlier he had been shirtless while getting Aelin's things. What did that mean? They looked completely comfortable with each other. Still they could just had known each other for three months. Aelin didn't open up that quickly.

"What's going to happen?" He had to say something. He couldn't just stand there and se Aelin and the Fae look at each other. It was like they had a private conversation. Aelin didn't respond and Aedion looked as furious as Rowan felt.

"What's going to happen now Aelin?" Aedion said it this time.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Finally she turned away from the Fae.

"They wonder what we should do now." The Fae's voice was deep. Chaol hated it. Aelin looked tired and confused. She looked at Rowan again and it was like they started to talk again.

"I don't think is a good idea" said Rowan and Aelin sighed.

"You know what the human think of us. The situations between the Wendlyn people and the Faes isn't that good right now." He continued. Aelin nodded.

"What is not a good idea?" Aedion snapped. He seemed to have had enough.

"Going to Mitsward. I stayed there during my last visit here. I just want to know how it's with everyone."

Chaol felt like his stomach was twisted. He had made her go here. He should be glad she had someone here. He should be happy for her. But he was jealous. He truly was.

Aelin's perspective

She felt trapped. What could she do? She had the weight of a whole country's future on her shoulders. She was frustrated. Things had been so much easier when she just was Celeana. When she was a notorious assassin in a world without magic. She needed to get out. Aelin saw that Chaol staring at her, or was he staring at Rowan? She looked over at Aedion. He was about to rip of someone's head. What about Nox?

"Where's Nox?"

"He's on the north side on the camp, up on the hill." Chaol said and Aelin started to walk. She knew that Rowan had felt on her scent that she wanted to go alone and he let her do it. She heard the men starting arguing when Rowan stopped Aedion from following her.

They stood next to each other, Nox's face was cold when he looked over the camp.

"I know it hurts" Aelin said quiet.

"What?" Asked Nox.

"Knowing that if they would had come eleven years ago. Things would be different. We would had been three great nations to stand in Adarlan's way. That would had been enough or maybe not. Still I can't help myself but think; Thousands of people would still be alive. Together we would had stopped Adarlan. Magic would still fill Erilea. Our families would still been alive." Tears started to run down her cheeks. "I would had remember my parents' faces, know how they looked like more than after their hearts' had stopped beating and their throats had been sliced open."

"I would had known what life was without having to steal, lie and kill." Nox said with a hoarse voice.

Then they stood quiet for a long while.

"When I look at them" Nox gestured towards the soldiers' camp. "All I see is the men who betrayed us, that let us be tortured and let our women and children die."

"I just see the mass graves. Remember what is was like, having to dig the new ones. They let us dig our own graves." She had never told that detail about Endovier to anyone before. Not even Rowan.

Nox put an arm around her shoulders and they stood there on the hill, watching down at the camp.


	17. Chapter 17 The questions

**I decided to upload two chapters today.  
This one is pretty long…  
Enjoy**

Chapter 17. The questions

Rowan's perspective

She came to him an hour later.

"Are you done?" _Feeling sorry for yourself._ He didn't say the last part loud.

"Yes." Surprisingly she didn't snarl at him and called him Buzzard or bastard.

"Want to punch something?" He had a feeling she needed it. She nodded and together they walked to the camp's practice area. When they got to the ring, soldiers stopped what they was doing. All gathered to see the Cadre fight the lost heir of Terrasen.

Aelin rolled her shoulders and Rowan drew his sword. He knew she had plenty of weapons hidden in the suit. A flash of light and she was in her Fae shape. She showed him her fangs and then he launched for her.

She had two long blades in each hand ready for him. They took turns attacking and blocking. They fought with an immortal speed and strength. Rowan didn't pay too much attention to the growing audience. They started to circle around each other.

"How about having some fun?" He said, grinning.

"Kicking your ass is always fun, buzzard." Aelin said and Rowan chuckled as a response.

She put her weapons back into their hide away in the suit and Rowan did the same.

They positioned and then they started their lethal dance again.

When Aelin tried to kick him her leg was covered in flames and it met a barrier of ice.

It was an even fight and it would had taken hours for anyone of them to win. Sometimes one of them was on the ground with the other one on top punching their face and other times they only their magic met.

Suddenly the scent of blood filled his nose. He stopped the fight and looked worried at her. She raised an eyebrow. _You give up?_ He shook his head and watched her for any damages. "You are the one bleeding Rowan." Blood dripped down in his face, he had a cut over his eyebrow. She raised her hand and put it on his forehead, it tickled. _Now big mighty warrior._ "Should we continue?" She had healed him.

They fought for nearly an hour more and then they walked to get some food. Aelin ate as usually more than he did and was still hungry.

He laughed when she walked to get yet another portion and the other men by the campfires stared at her. When they heard him laugh all heads turned towards him instead. He recognized many of the faces. He had fought alongside these men before. But they had never seen even a smile. Aelin gave him a maliciously look.

When she got back to their spot by one of the fires a soldier spoke to Aelin for the first time this evening.

"Is it true, that you killed the three valg princes?" The soldier who spoke met Aelins gaze, he was the first during the whole day who had dared to meet her eyes.

"Yes." She had a ball of fire in her hand. "They aren't particularly fond of fire. But I had help."

"We were six Cadres inside the fortress. You were all alone outside the shield. You call that help?" Rowan's voice was cold. Filled with anger and all pointed towards himself. He should have helped her from the beginning. He had risked to lose her.

"Was it you who lit Dornelle on fire as well?" The soldier spoke again.

"Yes. My aunt wanted me to show her my powers. Making her city of stone burn, was my response. They call my _Fire breathing bitch queen_ for a reason" Aelin said and winked.

The men around him and Aelin inhaled surprised. She was good making people shocked. Rowan had a hard time to believe that he once had thought of her as a spoiled princess and nothing more.

"And him? He is one of her closest. One of her Cadres." This time another soldier spoke. Rowan had heard it before.

"He was." Aelin said and she's and Rowan's eyes met. "He's my closest man now." He gave her a wry smile. She had no idea how much that meant to him.

Aelin's perspective

She spoke to the soldiers for an hour or two. She learnt that the soldier who spoke up first was named Gale. She laughed with him. He was reminding her a lot of Nehemia. He told her that he had family from Eyllwe. Rowan even had something to add to the conversation from time to time. After a while she felt someone watching her. Aelin had a strong feeling that it was the crown prince.

Aelin had been given a tent and she and Rowan was headed to it. When they arrived Aedion sat in there, waiting.

"Is anything wrong?" Aelin was worried, what was he doing here?

Aedion snarled. "Yes, he is here." He mentioned towards Rowan. "We don't know anything about him."

"I know him. Isn't that enough for you? Don't you trust me?" Her voice was as cold as her eyes.

"I do. But you don't trust me. You call him your closest man. What am I? I've been your protector since we was children. I'm your family." His words cut deep. Much deeper then she wanted to admit.

"No Aedion, I don't trust you. I've spent the last eleven years hearing the stories of the Mighty Wolf of the North. Heard about his conquests and all Terrasen rebels he has killed. I thought it was a lie. That you was dead. Because the Aedion I knew, would never do that. You are my family, yes. But do you trust Galan? He is as close family to you as you are to me." They stared at each other. And with every word she spoke, she saw how she hurt him more and more.

Rowan's perspective

He was glad Aelin was in her human shape. The scent from Aedion showed just how bad she wounded him.

Aedion was about to open his mouth saying something worse than Aelin already had. Rowan roared at him and the young prince close his mouth in time to stop the words.

"Ask me." Rowan snarled and stared at the man that was so similar to Aelin.

"What?"

"Ask me where my loyalty is."

"Where is it?"

"My loyalty is and will always be with Fireheart." He used his nickname on her.

"Fireheart? You don't have the right to call her that."

"I've been in this world far longer than you princeling and I have seen many women that let men control them. Aelin isn't one of them. _She_ decides for _herself_ who can call her thing and what they can call her. But I can promise you something. Say anything that hurts her and you won't be in this world anymore." Rowan told Aedion the truth and they both knew it.

"Are you done with your pissing contest yet? I'm tired." Rowan looked at her.

"Aedion I'll see you tomorrow and we can continue that conversation then."

"I'll go when he goes." Aedion had his arms crossed.

"No, you go now." Her voice started to get colder.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

"It's an order." Aelin's voice was colder than Rowan's ice now. Aedion gave Rowan a murderous look before leaving the tent.

He was glad that they had been wise enough to keep their voices down, the fabric of the tent was the only thing blocking their voices from the outside.

Rowan drew Aelin close to him and she leaned to him. He was the only thing holding her up. She had a hard time enough as it was already and her cousin only made it worse.

"Don't." She whispered

"What?"

"You'll just make it worse." He had nearly forgotten how it was to have her with him. She knew him, knew that he had been thinking of what to do with Aedion.

Aelin heavily sat down on the felt on the tent floor. Rowan helped her to get the suit off. She couldn't sleep with all those weapons. Then he gave her his shirt and she fell asleep.

He looked at her sleep.

When she slept he could see that she just was 19 years old. She was barely a woman and had so much responsibility. So many people was depending on her.

It hurt him to know that things only would get harder.

He would do everything for her, his carranam.

 **Oh shit… This was really long. I got carried away…**


	18. Chapter 18 The empty bottles

Chapter 18. The empty bottles

Aedion's perspective

That Fae could go to hell, no, Aedion was going to send him there. Fireheart, the Fae had called Aelin, Fireheart. That was the nickname her mother had given Aelin when they found out about Aelin's magic. They must be really close.

Aedion was tired of it, not knowing who Aelin was anymore.

She had said that he was as much family to her as Galan was to him. She knew he hated Galan. That in Aedion's eyes Galan was shit. Well, he thought so of everyone from Wendlyn.

Wendlyn had betrayed Terrasen. When they had needed Wendlyn the most, Wendlyn hadn't shown up. They had left Aedion's family and his people to die.

What was Aedion now? He was the protector of a woman who could protect herself and prince over a land that had been destroyed. What had he left, more than his title, Adarlan's whore?

Alcohol, he needed alcohol and lots of it.

Chaol's perspective

First, she had been spending a night alone with him. First gulp.

Second, he had shown up shirtless to gather her clothes. Second gulp.

Third, she was going to share a tent alone, with him. Third gulp.

Him, Rowan. The giant warrior, with a sadistic grin. He swept the rest of the bottle's content.

"I thought you didn't drink Captain." Aedion slurred. Sure, Chaol had been drinking. But not as much as Aedion.

"Shut up." Chaol snarled towards the other man. Aedion handed Chaol another bottle and said,

"For the baster who deserves to rot in hell." Chaol hadn't planned to drink more. But when Aedion mentioned the Fae again he took the bottle and took a big gulp. Aedion laughed at him.

"Next time you talk about a Fae, whisper. We have enhanced hearing." They heard a cold voice from behind. Chaol froze. It was Rowan's voice.

"What do you want?" Aedion didn't slur this time.

"Making sure that you two doesn't embarrass our queen. She has enough in her hands as it is." Then he turned towards Aedion. "She didn't mean what she said." Then he walked away.

Aedion just stared after the Fae with a puzzled look on his face.

Aedion's perspective

She didn't mean what she said.

Was the Fae telling the truth?

She didn't mean what she said.

Who was he to speak for her?

She didn't mean what she said.

Aedion knew Aelin hadn't asked the Fae to tell him that. Aelin didn't say sorry, and if she did, she would do it herself.

But what part was it that she didn't mean?

The part about not trusting him was true. He had to accept that, he had to admit she did the right thing not to trust him. But why did she trust the Fae?

The part about the Fae being her closest man was also true. He had seen them together. He had seen their reuniting. What was going on between them?

The part about him being dirt? He was her family, the last of it. They had grown up together, he had been there for her. But not when it mattered the most. Even when he was drunk, he knew that she didn't blame him for that.

She loved Aedion, just as he loved her.

What was he doing? He was drinking too drown his rage, his humiliation. He should be proving her wrong.

 **I just wanted to talk a bit about this chapter, or tell you my thoughts about it.  
Aedion and Chaol is drinking together, yupp that just happened.  
When I think about Chaol and Aedion both of them seems like people that easy get jealous. I feel like Aedion 100% would pick up bottle after an argument, Chaol on the other hand… I actually think so, after Roland cheated with Chaol's former lover. Chaol punched him. And he has still feelings for Aelin (if you haven't noticed…).  
The part where Rowan tells Aedion that Aelin didn't mean what she said. I know Rowan doesn't say sorry! But Rowan cares too much about Aelin to let her destroy her relationship with her cousin over him. **


	19. Chapter 19 The walk

**Sorry for not updating in a while. School again.  
This chapter was originally much longer, but I decided to divide it into two. Next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow.**

Chapter 19. The walk

Aelin's perspective

When she woke up in the middle of the night, Rowan was gone. She was too tired to bother with where he might be, so she just went back to sleep.

Next time she woke up, about an hour before dawn, he was next to her again, still asleep. As quiet as she could, she got dressed and left the tent.

Her plan was to go and get Fleetfoot. When she got closer to the tent Aedion slept in, her pulse raised. What was she going to say? But all of her worrying had been for nothing, all of the men was still asleep and Fleetfoot didn't make a sound when Aelin came.

Even if it still was early, some soldiers already had started to wake up. People acknowledge her wherever she went. So she started to walk out of the camp.

When she came to an open field half an hour away from the camp, she sat down and Fleetfoot was soon in Aelin's lap. She buried her face in the dog's soft fur with her arms wrapped around it. She breathed in the dog's scent. Even with her human nose the smell was still strong and filled her nostrils. She had missed her dog so much.

After an hour she stood and started to search after a stick. She found one and they played catch. Love filled Aelin's chest when she watched Fleetfoot, her tongue was sticking out and her tail was whipping. They stayed on the field for a few hours and it was about lunchtime when they arrived at the camp.

"Excuse me you highness, Prince Galan request to speak to you." She nodded towards the soldier and followed him through the camp. '

The prince was at the practice area where Aelin had fought Rowan the day before. He was good, more than good. When Galan saw her, he excused himself to his partner and walked over to her.

"Widen your stance an inch more and put more of your weight on your right leg. Then, you won't have the same problem with you balance if you have to block a blow from the left." She shouldn't had said it but it came naturally. Galan had exactly the same weak spot as Sam used to have. Sam had an old injury and he tried not to put too much weight on his right leg. She used to mock him for it. The prince looked surprised.

"Your highness, my men told me that you is an exceptional fighter. Who trained you?"

"I've had many trainers during the years. You wanted to speak to me." She was quick with changing subject

The prince motioned to her to follow him. They walked to the same tent as she had met him the other day. She knew Rowan was there before she entered the tent. When her eyes met his, she knew something was wrong.

"Tell me." She had asked Rowan, but Galan was the one answering.

"We found a man from Erilea. I didn't know if he was one of yours. He is in a tent in the other side of the camp."

"Who?" She had a bad feeling about this.

Rowan took a step closer to her, like he wanted to comfort her, but didn't know what to do with the prince present. It was that bad. It couldn't be Arobynn, Rowan would already had ripped him into shreds.

She turned to her Fae shape. Just breathing in once was enough. She froze. Another flash of light and she was in her human shape, already out of the tent. She had no feelings, she was numb. Filled with her killing grace. Someone was going to die, slowly.

She had a predators smile on her lips when she entered the tent.

"Farran. What a surprise."


	20. Chapter 20 The tortured

**Thank you for all of the support on the story. It' amazing getting the message telling you that there's a new review, follower or someone has favorite the story.**

 **This is quite a colorful chapter. Just a heads up. Here will be blood *grinning evil*.**

20\. The tortured

Farran's perspective

Farran sat in the middle of the tent, tied to a chair. When he looked at her confusion filled his eyes. And when she took a step closer, fear. He didn't recognize her, it was just her vibe. He used to be a sadistic crime lord's second, but when he saw the beautiful, but deadly woman in front of him, he froze. The grin on her lips told him that they had history and a bad one. Even if he didn't remember what it had been.

"Oh, I see that you don't remember me."

He shook his head. He didn't remember her. If he wouldn't had been so scared he would had come with some comment about remembering a beauty like her.

"Well, let's see, Sam Courtland. Maybe that name will ring a bell" She tilted her head looking at him. Sam Courtland was they man Arobynn Hamel had hired him to kill and in return killed Farran's former boss, so Farran could take over the empire of crime. He started to hyperventilate and her smile widened. He knew her name.

"Celaena Sardothien?" He whispered. She was dead, she had been sent to Endovier and died there. No one could survive those mines. But she was in front of him. Alive.

"A pleasure to meet you again. Since our last meeting was during so, harsh consistencies." A flash of light and Celaena was not a human anymore.

"Do you know what a mate is?" He shook his head. "No? All Fae's have one. Our mates are our second halves, our true love. Sam was mine. And you, you helped to kill him. We are going to get to know each other very well." The woman, no beast, sat on her knees in front of him now. He must have stank of fear, and that seemed to fill her with a deeply rooted satisfaction.

He had always known that he would die during unpleasant circumstances, but this. If Courtland had been her soulmate, that meant she had a soul, maybe… No.

She showed him her fangs and every inch of him told him to run. But he was stuck where he was. He was shaking, he didn't have any control left over his body. She chuckled when she looked at him.

"Want to know something fun? I have healing magic, so every time I slice you open, I can put you back together and start over. You had Sam for hours and every second you had him, I'll give you a life time."

Then the hell began.

Aelin's perspective

His pain was beautiful. His screams was like a song. She made him sing his beautiful song. The same song Sam had sung before his death.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She had been so focused on the man in front of her that she hadn't noticed Rowan. She stood and he dragged her back. What? He didn't answer her. He just walked pass her to Farran. Rowan studied the man.

"You need to start working on your healing."

She did as he told and for an hour she worked, Rowan guiding her.

"Get her some food." She was starving and Rowan knew it.

"This is the human?"

"Yes, he worked with Arobynn. They said Wesley killed Farran, but that was clearly a lie."

"We should take him to the ship, his screams make the soldiers uncomfortable. You know what reputation we Fae have." He was right. So she nodded and walked over to the now unconscious man.

"Wait." The crown prince said from the tent opening. "I want an explanation."

"He killed someone who meant a lot to me." Aelin smiled towards the prince. "And I want to get to know him."

"I got that part. He called you Celaena Sardothien. I've heard that name before."

"Oh, just one of my alias during the years. I had to do something. Becoming the most notorious assassin was something." Galan's face went pale at her response.

"But we got words that Sardothien had been captured and sent to Endovier."

"Well, I decided to leave. My debt to Arobynn Hamel had been payed off so I decided to do something else." It was a lie and both of them knew it. But Galan nodded.

"How did you end up in Wendlyn the first time?"

"I was sent here by the king to assassinate you and your family, but Maeve sent after me. I got to know Rowan and decided it was time to take up my tittle and fight back." Her voice showed no feelings, revealed nothing. Galan looked puzzled.

"I would like to hear more of that story later." Aelin nodded.

"He is all yours."

Rowan's perspective

He had seen in her eyes, how much she enjoyed hurting that man. She was right to enjoy it. He had taken Sam from her, Rowan knew what it was like and couldn't wait to get his own turn with this Farran. He had hurt Aelin. And he would pay for it. But when he looked at her now he saw no joy. She looked into the abyss. What was wrong? He walked up behind her and put his arms around her, resting his forehead against her neck. They stood like that for a few minutes before Aelin relaxed and leant against him.

"Tell me." Rowans deep voice was soft. He was worried for her.

"Sam wouldn't want this." She whispered.

"What do you mean?"(Omg Rowan is Justin Bieber! Shit :O)

"He would had wanted me to be happy. He would had told me I was moron and a dammed idiot for not just killing Farran and then leave with you." Leaving with him would make her happy?

"We could just kill him, yes. But what did Sam so when you got beaten after Skull's bay? Would he just had freed you and then walked away if he could had done something else? You need this."

"Yes I do need this. Should we start?"

Farran's perspective

The floor under him was moving. He opened his eyes and met those of a giant warrior, another Fae. The Fae was scary, but nothing compared to her. She was behind the other Fae with her sadistic grin. This would hurt. And it did.

"I'll tell you everything!" It had been what seemed like an eternity of fire. Celaena was with a flash of light human again.

"Start. You have 10, 9, 8, 7, 6."

"If I killed your lover, he would get Jayne killed."

"Who?"

"Arobynn."

"Tell me something I didn't already know or we can quit talking."

"We cut his eyes out first, he didn't know where the next blade would cut into his skin."

"No, you didn't. If you would had cut out the eyes first he would had bled to death. You aren't the only one who was trained in the art of torturing." She was good. He had already felt it, she had started easy, and he knew that.

He spitted blood, but missed her and she grinned as a response.

"I was nearly disappointed, the notorious Rourke Farran begging. I knew you had some fight in you." The last thing he saw before everything went black again was her fist.

Rowan's perspective

Aelin was clenching her fists, her hands was shaking. She was close to kill the man. But if she did, she would regret it.

"Sam said that he wanted to keep the girl he loved away from someone like Farran. Now I know why."

Rowan looked her in the eyes. She met his gaze. He nodded and then he walked over to the man on the floor and snapped his neck. He deserved something worse, but he was gone.

Rowan was about to carry the corpse away and those it over the railing when Aelin came over with a knife in her hand. She cut out its eyes and held them in her hand. Rowan walked out with the corpse.

When he came back she was still holding the eyes in her blood soaked hands. There was no grin on her lip, it had all been for show. She was just a confused young woman, who had lost everything, been broken into pieces and still carried on.

He took her hand and bent up her fingers, the eyes fell to the floor. When they heard the sound of the eyes hitting the floor she gave him a faint smile.

"I'm sorry."

"No. You are Aelin Ashryver Galathynius and you are not sorry. You are an annoying, stubborn and absolutely amazing bastard. Go to Mitsward, I'll take care of things. Just get your ass back here in five days."

"Say that again"

"What?" He snarled.

"That I'm amazing." She smiled at him.

"You are amazing Fireheart." Rowan said and stroked her cheek.

"Be careful, my ego is already big enough." He laughed softly.

"See you later buzzard." She shifted to her Fae shape and then she walked out of the ship, headed to Mitsward.

 **I was contemplating killing someone else but didn't want you to cry more toglover, bad enough knowing it is Monday tomorrow.**

 **Don't forget to tell me how evil I am!**

 **And sorry for the Justin Bieber part… I will never ever do that again…**


	21. Chapter 21 The foreign queen

**Short chapter today, but tomorrow there will be some fun reunions. Can't wait! Sorry in advanced for the spelling and grammar in this chapter. Didn't have time to correct it as much as usual.**

Chapter 21. The foreign queen

Aelin's perspective

Before leaving for Mitsward, she gathered supplies for the journey.

"I didn't expect you to be back yet. They told me that you got Farran." She turned around and saw Chaol.

"What do you want?"

"He deserved whatever happened to him. And… I want to speak with you without his presence."

"Rowan's?"

"Everyone, I guess."

"Talk." She could see how uncomfortable her Fae shape made him. Her true shape. Because it was, it never felt as right as when she was Fae.

"I'm sorry. I know we can't go back and I don't know if I want to. What we had… Aelin, I love you. And I will always love you. But when I see you with Rowan. You smile in a way I never could make you smile. When I hear you two laugh, it's never fake. You do it because you want to, not to… I'm sorry." His voice broke a few times. Aelin didn't know what to say.

"I'll be back in a few days. We can talk more then." Her voice was colder than she intended. But what had he expected? He had pieced her together just to destroy her again.

"Aelin…"

"Chaol, we'll talk when I get back."

She didn't hear his answer, she had already left him far behind.

Aelin jogged through the Wendlyn forest. Rowan had given her time enough to get to Mitsward and back, she hadn't been alone for a long time and therefor she had decided to take it easy. Even if she enjoyed being alone, she still wished a certain buzzard would be next to her.

Before the sunset she heard sounds behind her, hoofs. Aelin stopped and waited for her follower. She watched as the crown prince came riding. The horse was wet and it was clear that he had gone hard on the horse.

"I see you decided to join me." She became aware of how she looked; her feet was bare, she had loosened her braid and before Aelin left, she had changed into one of Rowan's shirts and pair of loose pants. She did not look like a queen, no like a child of the forest. Galan didn't look royal either. He was dressed like her and covered in sweat just as his horse.

"How about finding a spot to set up camp for the night?" Galan seemed to be unsure how to address her.

"I was planning to sleep in a tree, but your horse. It smells, and so does you. Here are creatures in these forests" She gave him an unsecure smile. This was going to be a long journey.

"I've never been in this forest before. Oh mighty foreign queen, tell me about my own forests." She had never heard the prince sound sarcastic before. Aelin started to laugh.

The next day Aelin ran and so did the horse. By lunchtime they were close to Mitsward. They had stopped to eat.

"How come you are here?" Aelin asked. Galan hadn't told her that yet. When he didn't meet her gaze she understood. They didn't trust that she wasn't on her way, straight to Maeve.

"You do the right thing. You don't know anything about me."

"So tell me." Aelin paused a few seconds before answering. What could she say? The truth, she had promised him the truth and that was what she gave him.

"I was trained to become an assassin and then I was captured. The king gave me an offer, I would become his champion and he would free me from Endovier. If he finds out that he had me." Galan stared at her.

"You've been there, in Rifchold? Talked to the king?" Chock filled his eyes

"Yes. I lived in the castle for a few months." Aelin shrugged.

They continued to travel under silence. He didn't know what to ask her, and she was tired. But when she started to recognize the trees and she realized it wasn't far, she was filled with a new motivation. She started sprinting. Galan had no chance keeping up with her. His horse was fine, but not an Asterion. And it didn't have the same motivation as she did, her friends, no family waited on her.


	22. Chapter 22 The storyteller

**Writer's block is killing me. I've been working on this chapter for 5 days. When I finally finished it today, my spelling program failed me… This might be really bad…**

 **Btw, don't miss Frostbyte's Christmas special. It's AMAZING.**

 **Also might need some help with this writer's block, if you read my one-shot series and have any suggestion leave them in a review or send me a PM.**

Chapter 22. The storyteller

Aelin's perspective

She saw the fortress from far away. It looked different now. Rowan had told her about the reconstruction, a big part of the fortress had been destroyed during the fight. But actually seeing it made it so much more real and a chill ran down her spine when she remembered what had happened. When she came to the barrier's opening one of the guards from the wall came and met her. Malakai.

"They are in the kitchen."

She ran down the stairs to the kitchen. Aelin couldn't wait to see the old demi-Fae and the youngling who had become her family. When she came to the door opening she stopped and watched them. Luca and Emrys was working and laughing together. She didn't know how long time passed. Aelin had missed her mornings in the kitchen.

Luca was about to go and get something and when he turned around, he saw her. His eyes widened and one of the biggest smile she had ever seen spread on his lips.

"Elentiya"

Then Luca had dragged her into a bear-hug. One second, that was all he could hold before he began talking. Asking her about Dornelle, telling her about the restoration of the fortress and so on. She just smiled and laughed at what seemed like an eternal stream of words coming out of his mouth. When he let her go at last, Emrys was there.

Aelin stayed in the kitchen, helping them prepare the dinner.

After dinner the fortress's inhabitants came down to the kitchen for the evening's stories. When the demi-Faes saw Aelin the nodded to her and greeted her. She was respected here, but not for her royalty. She had missed that feeling, the feeling of just be respected for what you've done and not for your name.

The kitchen was hot and the air was filled with joy. When it was time for Emrys to begin he looked at her.

"Aelin?" She knew what he wanted. Ha had given her the opportunity to gather allies. This was her chance to get the demi-Faes on her side. But she wasn't going to beg to them, she was going to go with the truth again.

"Eleven years ago, there was a young princess. She was called _Light Bringer_ and _Heir of Fire_. The princess was loved by her people, just as her parent's was. One day a foreign King came to her court and after that, everything changed. The princess's parents was assassinated and she woke up in their blood. The assassin came back, this time for her, but due to the sacrifice of her mother's best friend, the princess survived." Aelin was quiet for a few seconds.

"A day later, Arobynn Hamel, the King of the Assassins found a young girl on a frozen river bank. He gave her a choice, either she came with him and was trained in the art of the assassins, or he would leave her to her enemies. The girl was only eight, but she had more enemies than most have during their entire lifetime. Ten years went by and she gathered more and more enemies and the girl became Celaena Sardothien, the most notorious assassin in all of Erilea. Perhaps the world. Burt one day was the man she loved, her mate, murdered and she was sent to Endovier." Flashes of memories. Aelin felt the tears behind her closed eyes and a lump in her throat. "One day the King's son came to the mines and she was given another choice, work for the king that had destroyed her life or stay in the mines." The others was as quiet as the grave, and all eyes was on her. "The king had no idea that Celaena Sardothien actually was the young princess that he thought had been killed ten years ago. So she pretended to work for him, pretended to kill his enemies. But then he had her best friend killed, the princess of Eyllwe. When Celaena sat by her friend grave she gave her friend a promise. I promised to save her people. When I came here I didn't intend to save my own people, just hers. I don't need to tell you about the anger that filed me, or that I thought that the people we love only are weapons that can be used to hurt us."

"But something changed?" Aelin had forgot about Galan and she flinched by the sound of his voice.

"I changed." Aelin sat quiet for a few seconds thinking.

"Maeve isn't our queen. She is the queen of the full breeds. To her we are nothing. We only matter if we have some special talent, otherwise we are worthless. I don't say that you should join my war. I say that if Terrasen win, you are always welcome, even if I'll be dead. Witch it's most likely that I will be." She grinned when she came to the last part.

She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius and she would not be afraid. Not of her magic and not of the queen. She was the _Fire Breathing Bitch Queen_.

"If we want to join your war?" She didn't know the name of the person talking.

"Then you are welcome now. I'll be glad to fight by your side."

"And if Maeve doesn't approve?" Galan said looking right into Aelin's eyes.

"She will. She might live in a city of stone and water, but she and her people are still made of flesh." Aelin started chuckling when she saw the look on Galan's face. So did the other demi-Faes in the room.

 **Fire Breathing Bitch Queen is in the house!**


	23. Chapter 23 The last moment

**Sorry**

Chapter 23. The last moment

Aelin's perspective

She was running through the forest next to the prince that was riding on his horse. They had left the fortress early the same morning. Galan spoke to her from time to time. He had looked at her in a different way since he had heard her story. Aelin felt a sudden pain in her chest and she fell to the ground. Something was wrong. _Rowan._ He was using her magic. She was gasping for air. The prince got of his horse and ran to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Rowan." She said his name through clenched teeth.

"What's going on?" She could see the panic in Galan's eyes.

"Rowan, he is hurt. I have to get to him." Aelin got up to her feet and started running. This time no horse could keep up with her. She was faster than the wind, faster than sound and she was nearly keeping up with the light. She repeated his name with every step she took. Rowan. Rowan. Rowan. Her magic was just pulled up a little at the time, he must be using his own as well. Rowan. She had to be faster. Rowan. What was happening? Rowan. Was he okay? Rowan.

She didn't know for how long she ran, but he used more of her power now, his own had to be nearly all gone.

She came to the camp, just running straight through it. Jumping over people and tents. She heard chocked humans, but did not care. Soon, she felt their bond growing stronger. When she came out of the camp she continued straight forward. Their bond was starting to get weaker.

Rowan's perspective

He was standing alone. One Fae against hundreds of Valg soldiers. He had already used up all of his own magic, at least all he could without burning out. Now he was using hers. Her magic was different, it was young, so wild and free. It filled him with her. Rowan was bleeding and had a hard time standing. But he had to keep going. Aedion was lying on the ground a feet behind Rowan, passed out. Rowan hoped Aedion jut had been knocked out and not dead. He could not let her lose Aedion too.

He had to keep going, he had protect her. He didn't know how long time passed. He just continued killing the Valgs. He had to keep going. For her. For Aelin. But he was getting weaker. He was losing the contact to her and her magic. An abnormally large soldier came towards him, his blade ready to drop and severe Rowans head from his neck. Rowan thought back on his life the last moment. The only thing he regret was not doing it. Pressing his lips against hers.

Aelin's perspective

She ran over the hills, to the sea and kept going along the shore. The bond was gone, she couldn't feel him. He was gone. He couldn't be gone. She had to be wrong. She couldn't lose him, she couldn't lose Rowan. When she ran over the top of a hill she suddenly saw it.

The field was filled with Valg soldiers. Rowan was laying on the ground and over him was a Valg soldier with his blade ready for the killing blow. She would be too late again. Aelin lost it. Just as she lost him. She let out a roar and then the world was set on fire.


	24. Chapter 24 The one left behind

Chapter 24. The one left behind

Aelin's perspective

She sat by his corpse. The tears falling down her cheeks quickly disappeared, they boiled away because of her heat. She was burning.

"Buzzard, come back. Don't you dare dying on me! I'll come straight after you. I'll hunt you through hell. Buzzard. Please."

She was burning, the world was burning, and the Valg soldiers was now burning in hell, just as Rowan was. Her hands was shaking, she was shaking. She was on the edge to burnout. But the pain filling her body was nothing compared to the emptiness without him. Rowan was dead. Gone. She couldn't breathe, she didn't want to breathe. Not without him.

She heard a strange noise. It took her an eternity to realize that it came from her. Dead, he was dead. She laid down, putting her arms around him. Rowan was cold. He was cold! Rowan was the one who kept her warm during the nights. Rowan was the reason she still remembered how to smile. And he was gone. Lights started to flare in front of her eyes and the darkness started to come closer. And so did the numbness. She invited the darkness with open arms, welcomed it. Rowan would be there.

When she woke up again disappointment filled her. She should had died. She had wanted to die. Aelin opened her eyes and saw Aedion at her side. Her body was shaking uncontrolled and she was sweating and freezing at the same time. All Aelin felt was the emptiness. Rowan. Rowan was dead. She had been too late. She closed her eyes again, to keep the tears away. Aedion noticed that she was awake.

"Aelin?" His voice was too soft. She couldn't take it. So she just ignored him.

"Aelin." He was talking louder now. She felt his hand on her. Aelin couldn't keep the tears away any longer. She had lost Rowan as well. What did she have left? Why did she keep fighting?

"Aelin look at me!" The panic in Aedion's voice was clear.

"Let me go." Aedion understood that she didn't mean to get his hand of her, but letting her move on from this world.

"Aelin, don't." This time anger.

She didn't care, she had no reason to care. Rowan was gone and she was in pieces once again. And this time she did not intend to get pieced together again. She was broken, and that thing that used to keep her life going, Rowan had stolen it and when he died so did that lump inside her as well. She had never told him. She had never dared to kiss him. She should had learned from what happened with Sam.

She was too late.

Always too late.

Aedion started to shake her, used force to get her too look at him.

His face was burnt. She had done that to him, he had also been there. But Aelin had known he was alive, the same way she knew that Rowan wasn't.

"By the Wyrd! He is alive. The healers say he will wake up soon." _What?_ Aelin tried to stand but collapsed. Rowan was alive? But?

She had to see him. She had to make sure. Aedion lifted her up and carried her out of the tent. When they got outside everyone stared at them. She heard people whispering. _It's true, she killed them all by herself._ And; _I saw what was left of the battlefield._ Aelin was still shaking and pain filled every single piece of her. But if he was alive… She couldn't believe it! Rowan. She had to see for herself.

Aedion stopped by one of the tents with four guards outside. When they saw her they stepped aside.

He lied on a bed in the inner corner on the bed. His face was pale and he was covered in cuts. He didn't breath.

"Rowan?" She whispered. He didn't react. Aedion carried her to the bed.

"Get her a chair!"

"Don't. Down. Rowan." She had a hard time getting the words over her lips. Aedion still understood and put her down next to Rowan in the bed. Aelin curled up next to him. Pressed her warm body to his cold. When she finally could hear his heartbeats Aelin fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes she met a pair that was just like hers. Galan sat next to the bed looking at her. He stank of sweat.

"How?"

"He is my blood sworn and Carram." She heard someone taking a deep breath. _Aedion._ She turned her gaze to where the sound came from. Aedion stared at them with anger filling his eyes.

"Aedion, please. I can explain." But he had already left the tent.

"Carram?" Galan said in the tence silence after Aedion's exit

"We… We have a bond. We are connected, I can feel him and our magic… I don't know how to explain."

"I think I understand." Galan said slowly.

Aelin heard a woman clearing her throat. On the other side of the bed stood a woman. Aelin recognized her.

"Yrene? Yrene Towers, is it you?" Aelin had never expected to see the woman again. I had been so long since last. Before the Red Desert.

"You are her. You saved me... You got me here. Thank you." Yrene looked shocked.

Aelin felt Rowan and smiled slightly.

"I did the right trusting you would make it. You saved him. Thank you. I don't know how I would live…" She was about to say too much. But she had a feeling that everyone in the room knew what she had meant to say. Aelin felt how her eyelids grew heavier. But she had to know that Rowan was okay.

"I'll wake you." Yrene said smiling towards Aelin. And Aelin let herself be pulled down into the dreams world. Only she did not dream this time, she was thankful for it.

She had woken up an hour ago. When she looked at Rowan now, something weird filled her chest. She looked at him and the normal lovingness filled her. But it was more. She did not know how to breathe without him, their hearts was beating at the same speed. She had a hard time breathing. Suddenly, his eyes started to open. Rowan.

"Aelin." His voice was filled with love and worriedness.

"I'm here." Tears ran down her face. She didn't know how to meet his eyes.

Rowan's perspective

She didn't meet his gaze. What was wrong? Why wouldn't she look at him? The pain filled every inch of his body, but was nothing compared to the one he felt when he saw her pain.

"Please look at me." She still didn't meet his gaze. They laid pressed to each other for minutes, but still so far away. He just held his arms around her. When he looked at her now, something was different. He hadn't felt like this in a very long time. She finally met his stare and the love filling him just left him gaping, gasping for breath.

"It shouldn't be possible." He whispered. He moved his hands to her face. He saw the relive in her face.

"You feel it too?" Her voice was so hoarse and she sounded so small. He didn't know how to answer her else than doing what he had been wanting for months.

He kissed her.

Her, Aelin, Fireheart and mate.

She was his mate.

He didn't know how long time thy laid like that. She in his arms, their lips pressed against lips. He never wanted that moment to be over. It was over too soon.

"You're a better kisser than I thought." She said smirking towards him.

"Lifetimes of practicing." He purred. His hand exploring her curves. Her hand took his and she laughed softly. She looked serious again.

"I just thought it was just me…" Now he understood.

"I feel it too." Aelin laughed again at his answer.

"I realized that."

Even if she smiled, he knew something troubled her. She was going to tell him when she was ready. So he just continued to look at her, taking in the beautiful creature in front of him. Rowan saw how glossy her eyes was and felt the heat from her. He probably looked the same. They had both been close to a burnout, this was the first time for Rowan in hundreds of years. It was just as unpleasant as last time.

How was he still alive? He had died. But when he was about to be pulled to the other side, to hell, something had made him fight. He had heard her voice. Still after his death she was swearing at him, calling him Buzzard. It had felt reassuring to know that she would remain the same. Until he heard the desperation in her voice and the pain. He had to get back to her, so he had come back. For her.

He kissed her again. She looked surprised at first but answered the kiss.

 **I actually thought about letting Rowan die. Ending the story with Aelin burning to world into ash. But I couldn't! I have so much more stories to tell. Hopefully you guys want to read them.**


	25. Chapter 25 The oath

**I was contemplating naming this chapter "The pissing contest" for a very long time. An hour or two. But I have some better ideas for the chapter that will have that name.**

 ***Mental note; write "The pissing contest"***

25\. The oath

Aedion's perspective

He remembered the expression on her face, the hopelessness. She had been about to give up when she had lost the Fae. Aedion had seen the love in her eyes when she saw him again. It wasn't because of Aedion she had been able to kill all those Valgs. It had been to revenge the Fae.

Aedion should had understood. Of course she had let the Fae swear the oath, Aedion's oath. It was Aedion's birthright. But still she had let Rowan swear it. Aelin was the ruler of Terrasen, she wasn't like Maeve who had multiple blood sworn. The ruler of Terrasen just had one, it was tradition.

And Aedion wasn't the one.

What did he have to live for when his life purpose had been stolen from him?

Nothing.

Rowan's perspective

The young healer, Yrene, walked into the tent.

"How do you feel?" Yrene asked him.

Rowan looked down at Aelin, she was sleeping, her head resting on his chest. She was so beautiful. Strong.

"I'm good." _Now I am._ He couldn't keep a smile from tugging at the corners of his lips. Rowan looked up again and met Yrene's gaze.

"So you aren't dizzy, have a headache or feel like you are burning up?"

"No."

"You heal quickly."

"Yes." Rowan could see that his short answers made the human uncomfortable. "How is she?" Rowan had seen the pain in Aelin's eyes.

"She will recover fully and so will you. But I have a feeling that that wasn't what you meant."

"No it wasn't."

"There was a man here before, he was the one who brought her here. He could had been her twin."

"Her cousin."

"Apparently he didn't know about the blood oath. I saw him leaving the camp in quite a hurry a while ago." Aedion had found out about the blood oath. Rowan had understood that there was something about the oath, something that had stopped Aelin from telling Aedion about it. Rowan had also seen the panic in Aelin's eyes when Rowan swore it to her.

Rowan got out of the bed.

Yrene cleared her throat, "you need a shirt." The woman was smart enough to understand that she wouldn't be able to get him into the bed again.

"Yes I do."

"I'll get you one, just give me a few seconds." She said and walked out of the tent again.

Rowan turned to the bed and looked at Aelin. In her sleep she was reaching after him, her hands exploring the fabric that still had to be warm after his body. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Love filling every inch of his mind. His Aelin.

Rowan was walking through the camp. He used his sense of smell and followed the angry male's scent. Because it was clear, judging by the scent, that Aedion had been furious. Rowan also knew that Aedion had a big head start, therefor he changed to his hawk shape and let his wings lift him up to the clear blue sky.

Aedion's perspective

He was left to his own thoughts. They were driving him mad. But he wasn't going to drown them in alcohol this time.

Why? Why had she let Rowan take the oath? But Aedion already knew the answer.

"Where do you think you are going?" Aedion heard a low, deep voice, filled with threats from behind. He turned around and Rowan stood there. His arms was crossed and his eyes was cold. Aedion didn't know what to answer, so he kept his mouth shut.

"I'm going to tell you something princeling. And I'm just going to do it once, so listen carefully. I don't know what that oath mean to you, but clearly more than she does. You should now Aelin well enough to know that she doesn't give a damn shit about it. She has enough in her hands as it is, don't make things harder." Rowan didn't look away for a second, his green eyes stared right through Aedion, and right at the dirty and pathetic parts that was Aedion's most truly. That was enough, Aedion snapped.

"You don't know her! And you don't know anything about that oath and its meaning!" The male started grinning, grinning towards Aedion. He was about to punch this grinning bastard in the face.

"I know my mate pretty darn good. And I know that I swore to serve her and stay by her side, out of loyalty and love."

"Mate?" Rowan had called Aelin his mate.

Rowan nodded and looked shocked.

"I shouldn't had told you. It was her thing to decide. Just as it was hers to tell you about the oath."

"When? When did you mate her?"

"I mated her when I woke up after the fight. But I've loved her for… longer." Aedion could see the smile in the Fae's eyes. It wasn't the contemptuous one.

The happiness shocked Aedion, he had heard many stories about the Fae before. Aedion had looked up to the warrior and his conquests, but Aedion would never had believed that the mighty Rowan Whitethorn had any feelings.

Aedion remembered how the Fae had used his own body to protect Aedion, to make sure he would survive.

"It was for Aelin you did it?"

"Yes. I would do anything for her." No hesitation in the Fae's words. It was clear that he deserved her and the oath. Of course he did, Aelin would never let anyone not worthy be bounded to her for the rest of her life.

Everything Rowan had done, had been for Aelin. Just as everything Aelin had done, had been for Rowan. Everything Aedion had done, was worthless. He had just been hiding, trying to forget. She deserved so much more, and she had. She had Rowan.

"You shouldn't had risked you're life for me. She needs you."

"She needs you too."

Rowan hadn't stolen Aelin from him, it was Aedion who had been pushing her away. He hadn't been able to accept that she had changed with the time. But he wanted to get to know the new her.

"She needs you even if you are pathetic. So get on with it. You didn't get to swear the oath, so what? Aelin is still alive, your queen is still alive. Fight for what you have instead for crying for what you didn't get." This was what Aedion had been waiting for. The snarling Fae male who looked like he could rip Aedion's throat out any second.

But Rowan was right. She was worth more than the oath was. So much more. It pained Aedion to know that the bastard in front of him had been needed to open his eyes. And he had done it twice.

"But I'm going to make one thing clear. You don't hurt her again, if you do. Nothing will stop me from hurting you." Rowan said with a low voice and the threat was clear.

"And the same goes for you."

The males nodded in agreement. They both cared about the woman, loved her. One was bound to her by blood and loyalty. The other was bound to her with every inch of his being and was a part of her.

 **Writer's block, writer's block, I hate this freaking writer's block.**

 **Would love to know what you guys think about the new cover image on the story.**

 **One more thing. Thank you for all the support on the story. Helps a lot when I sit in front of the computer screen trying to write, but the ideas play hide and seek with me. I'm always the seeker, you know that crappy one that fails a lot.  
You probably don't care so I'll stop writing this crap… **


	26. Chapter 26 The queen and the healer

**Strange thing. Both me and Frostbyte has been in a thankful mood, two character killers feel thankful!? I guess there won't be any deaths until we are done being thankful.  
After I got a review overload a few days ago I had to thank all of you. **

**Lanoon - My first reviewer. Thank you for all the support! Another shout out to you after you shouted at me ;)**

 **Frostbyte writer – Evil writer! You know my stories can be dark. What can I say?  
Thank you for everything, all ideas, all PM's screaming at me to write, all help and just being there in your evil kind of way, also for supporting me and posting your AMAZING stories. DON'T MISS THAT AWESOMENESS! (This is me demanding you guys to check out Frostbyte's stories. Just saying.) Btw, I'm now the self-proclaimed Queen of the Evil Writers and I demand you to go and write more fanfics because I need them in my life. **

**G – Thank you for the review, means a lot! (L) (any skypers here?)**

 **mysteries of the future – Still love your name! OMG, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! Even on the Yulemas special! I think you are the only one that isn't mad at me for that one xD Just for you, a fluffy chapter with Rowaelin moments and others reaction too it!**

 **toglover – The one the only, "vattenslang" (hose) as we would call you in Sweden (for crying so much). Sorry for making you cry. And sorry, I'll continue making you do it. Thank you for all of the support on my different stories. And just a friendly reminder "Next time you talk about a Fae, whisper."**

 **Craycray3 – YOU ARE GREAT. THANK YOU! Also, you are the first person ever to like my crap. And you will always be remembered as my crap liker. So I'll insert a load of crap here:**

" _ **I wouldn't walk in there if I where you." Chaol was outside the healer's tent where Aelin was. When a young beautiful woman stopped him.**_

" _ **And who exactly are you?" He had never seen her before, but he had to know her name.**_

 _ **Chaol and Yrene?**_

 _ **Nooo?**_

 _ **Or?**_

 _ **I don't think so, a fun twist but. But. He is an ass, yaas I'm mad at Chaol today. Thinking about killing him just for fun. Behead him, hang him, Rowan "tripping" with a knife in his hand and oops, byebye Chaol.**_

 _ **Feels more like something Aedion would say.**_

" _ **And who exactly are you?" purred Aedion. His eyes taking in the beautiful creature in front of him.**_

 _ **But I can't see Aedion and Yrene. What about Galan and her? Sounds like fun.**_

 **Kaelster – Thank you (L) I'll continue, just for you ;)**

 **Antagonist406 – I flipped the shit when I got your review. Thank you! I love Rowan too, I could kill him in a Christmas special, but not now. You want some planning with Galan, guess what! It's your lucky day… soon. And a hunting trip, geez… I'm not allowed to kill Rowan, but animals are okay?**

 **anika123 - You asked if I had an actual plot in mind. And told me to check my grammar a bit better. Also demanded me to write more. Let's start. Thank you for the review! Thank you for using your time to make me improve my stories. It means a lot. Let's start with the grammar and spelling part. English is not my first language (could you guess?), therefor when it comes to spelling and grammar I'm not the best. Sometimes you sit too long with something and yeah. You miss obvious things. I'll try to be better!  
Okay the part about having a plan… Yes, I do have a plan. A mastermind such as I always have a plan. I could be an ass and tell you to read the whole story again and write down the facts you learn in each chapter. But I did it myself for you.  
I've sent you a PM with everything you find and what that might tell you. Just judging by the chapters' content. Hopefully "anika123" is your account, otherwise…(fudge) Thank you again!**

 **Fandomsareforever15 – Thank you for the review! I won't let you wait for much longer! And yaas, fandoms are forever.**

 **Minks – I blew up someone's mind? *warning* Sooooo are all of your brain-substance everywhere now? Then you won't be able to read… Ops… Thank you for the review and sorry…**

 **Abc123drm – Thank you! You are soo sweet (L) I'll give you more pissing contests in the future, I promise!**

 **And now for the last review, it only showed up in my email inbox #confused**

 **Rowaelin – Thank you! Yaas, I guess he will (you guys will never know what I guess, it's our secret)**

 **And for my irl friend who is neither a tog fan or reader.**

 **Tuzz – Geez you actually did it, you read all of this! A big shout out to Tuzz who read all of this without reading the books first! I got a message telling me she wants to read the books now and are pissed off at me cuz she has to read five books.**

 **Thank you guys, for everything (L)(L)(L)**

 **(HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT FROSTBYTE'S FANFICS YET?)**

 **Fluff for life! You asked for some more Rowaelin, so here you go! After my crap I decided to add some Gayrene(?). Enjoy!**

26\. The queen and the healer

Aelin's perspective

Aelin could feel that someone was watching her. She knew that multiple pairs of eyes followed her every move, but this was something else.

Rowan had been gone when she woke up, so Aelin had decided to find food. She sat alone at one of the campfires.

She couldn't get rid of the feeling that there were a pair of eyes that were different, watching her in another way than the rest. She turned around and her ice and gold stare met the gaze of brown and gold. Aelin gesticulated to the woman to join her.

Yrene's perspective

Yrene looked at the strange young woman. This time, she wasn't dressed in fine clothes, but a too large shirt and a pair of loose pants, she had no hood that was hiding her figure. Yrene could see an assortments of weapons along the woman's long lean body. Yrene knew that she could use them all with a lethal grace. She had seen it two years earlier.

Once again the woman sat in the middle of a sea of strangers, all by herself. But this time she dared to eat the stew, this stew wasn't made of the meat found in an alley behind the dirties place in all of Erilea. And this time, when the woman signaled to Yrene it wasn't for another ale, but for Yrene to join her.

Aelin's perspective

Yrene still had swift feet and a good balance when she operated between the different campfires and men. But this time, she didn't have to watch out for men that was trying to grab her. Aelin could see that all men here looked at Yrene with respect.

"Yrene Towers a pleasure to meet you again." Aelin said and nodded as a greeting.

"So should I curtsey?"

"Hell no. Well I guess you should, but don't." Aelin grinned towards the healer, whose intelligent eyes scanned Aelin's face. She raised her eyebrows.

"Last time, your face… It was a patchwork of bruises. Still I can't see any trace."

"He was good. It was meant to hurt and humiliate, but not leave any tracks." Bitterness filled her voice as she shrugged and looked away.

"I'm sorry." Yrene said at last.

"Why? You had nothing to do with the punishment."

"I didn't come back. I said I would, but I didn't" Yrene whispered and her dialect from southern Fenharrow became clear.

"Only an idiot would return to that hell hole. You can't save the whole world, but all over the world there are people in need of being saved. The world needs more healers and you gave it one. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"So, you still give advices" Yrene said. At first, Aelin didn't understand what she meant. Then she remembered. _Let me give you a bit of advice, form one working girl to another: Life isn't easy, no matter where you are. You'll make choices you think are right, and then suffer from them._

"I was so wise back then." Aelin said and winked to Yrene. The woman sat down next to her.

"Which choice were you suffering from?" Yrene seemed to remember who she spoke to and started blushing. "I don't mean to pry."

Yrene's perspective

Aelin, that was the young stranger's name. She was the lost heir of Terrasen. And what Yrene just had said… She should keep her big mouth shut.

"I would had suffered more if I didn't make that choice." Aelin looked sad. "I saved two hundred slaves from The Pirate Lord of Skull's bay and destroyed an agreement between him and my former master Arobynn Hamel." ,

Yrene stared shocked at the woman next to her. She didn't know what to say. Aelin just shrugged and stared in to the fire. Arobynn Hamel had been her master. He was the one that had hurt her, punished her.

"So, you made it to Torre Cesme?" Aelin said.

"Yes. Thanks to you I did."

"No, you did it all by yourself." The women sat quiet for a long while, both thinking about the past. Until they heard steps from behind.

Aelin's perspective

"Your highness" Aelin turned around at the sound of a voice behind her and she saw the crown prince bowing for her, she nodded as a response. Then he turned to Yrene "Miss Towers" he said smiling towards her. A smile that gave away so much.

So Yrene had a reason to stay in Wendlyn.

"Gala-Your highness." Yrene said as she was about to stand. Aelin could see that she was trying to hide that she was blushing. Galan put a hand on her shoulder, demanding her to sit. Then he walked around the fire and sat down.

"So you two know each other." Galan said, trying to hide his curiosity.

"Our paths crossed back in Erilea." Aelin said. She tried but couldn't stop the words from slipping out, "I see that you two know each other as well." Judging by the way they both blushed and looked away: she was correct.

"The world is small, isn't it?" Galan said smiling towards her. Aelin smirked back and couldn't help herself but chuckled a bit.

"So, for how long have you to known each other miss Towers?" Gala asked and turned to Yrene.

"We met once two years ago. The queen saved my life."

"By the Wyrd, let's call each other by name. These titles are ridiculous." Aelin said annoyed.

"Sounds like a deal" the prince said. "So Aelin, you saved Yrene's life?"

"Not really. Some merchants decided to attack her and I decided to attack the merchants at the same time." Aelin said grinning. "She knocked down one of them during the second attack. Real fighter." Galan looked surprised at Yrene.

"I didn't know you could fight." Was that a hint of accusing that Aelin could hear in his voice?

"Aelin taught me the basics of self-defense." Yrene said and looked away.

"I thought you worked for Arobynn Hamel during that time. Did he allow you to teach women self-defense?" Galan said curious.

"He didn't approve of everything I did and didn't know about everything I did either." Aelin felt in her heart how something changed and she couldn't keep a smile away.

"So you are done with the pissing contest." The other two looked confused at her.

"Yes" Rowan said from behind Aelin. She looked up just as Rowan looked down at her. He bowed down and kissed her before he sat down next to her, taking her slender fingers in his hand. Their gaze met.

 _No more hiding._

 _No, no more hiding. And Aedion?_

 _He is back. We had a little chat._

 _So you two didn't piss?_

 _We are two Fae males, what do you expect us to do? Of course we had a pissing contest._ They both grinned at the last part.

Aelin moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

Yrene's perspective

Galan's gaze met hers. He gestured with his head towards Aelin and Rowan and she shrugged as an answer. She had guessed but hadn't known for sure.

"Did you find Aedion?" Yrene asked Rowan.

"Yes." He said. His answers were short, just as before. "How do you feel Fireheart?" This time his voice was soft.

"I'm okay." Yrene remembered the girl, with eyes filled with simmering rage. But there were few traces of that girl in the woman next to her. Her stunning eyes were now filled with love. And her voice was soft and caring instead of hard and bitter.

Galan cleared his throat. Yrene knew that expression. He had something to ask, but didn't know how to do it politically correct.

Aelin seemed to have noticed as well as she said, "I'm Aelin, remember. You can use my name and you can ask me whatever you want. I might snarl, refuse to answer or I'll just answer. There is only one way to know."

Rowan filled in, "Judging by her current mood, you can dare to ask her something without her biting your head off."

Yrene couldn't help but feel a sting of jealousy. What would it be like, not having to hide your feelings all the time?

"You two?" Galan said carefully.

"Yes" they both said in one voice.

 **Anika123 – Sorry, but the people demand rowealin fluff, next chapter the related things are coming back.**

 **(CHECK OUT FROSTBYTE'S FANFIC NOW!)**


	27. Chapter 27 The wildfire

**Jfouts006 – Omg, this was your first ever fanfic! Thank you for continuing reading and leaving a review!**

 **Anika123 – Thank you! Read this review to, just as the others you have left. I'm kind of living for reading the reviews. And whuut! Didn't you notice the poor grammar ;)? THANK YOU! It's good that you like Rowaelin fluff, cuz I lied, decided to write some more fluff today instead.**

 **Frostbyte – Can you chill now? Here it is! Who am I kidding, evil writer's never chill, we just hide in the shadow and plan colorful deaths.**

 **Geez, this person has been spamming me all day for another chapter.**

 **Check Frostbyte's latest fanfic, and read my review on it. Can't stop laughing at my own joke! (It's sad huh?) Frostyte also laught at it, so I'm not completely alone…**

 **Fandomsareforever15 – Thank you! I planned someone else for Galan and then, BOOM. WHAT AN AWSOME IDEA! (I'm totally not proud over myself for this, what the heck are you talking about.)**

Chapter 27. The wildfire

Rowan's perspective

He looked at Aelin just as she looked at him.

 _To whatever end._

 _To whatever end._

Rowan squeezed her fingers and then, they looked at the two humans. He used his magic to blow the wind to them, making sure that no one else could hear what they said.

"We can talk now," he said.

"What happened back there? During the attack." Galan asked.

"I would love to know that as well," said Aelin and looked up at Rowan.

"I was flying by the shore. I saw ships and decided to fly over them. They were equipped for battle. There were soldiers on the decks, something about them were different, not quite human."

Galan interrupted Rowan, "why didn't you alarm the army?"

"It wasn't enough time."

 _Even if you flew? What was the real reason Rowan?_ Aelin's eyes asked.

 _Aedion was there, if I had flown, he would have died. I couldn't let you lose him to._

 _Why was he there?_

 _He leaves the camp from time to time, he hadn't returned for a long while, so I was looking for him._

"I knew Aelin would be on her way back from Mitsward and that she would feel that I was using big amount of magic. I hoped to be able to hold them of long enough for her to warn you." He pressed her fingers again.

"I could feel that Rowan was using my powers and he would never do it if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I also felt that he was hurt." Aelin said the last part quietly. "I snapped. I didn't think clear enough to warn your army, I just had to find him, protect him." Rowan could see that she was blushing.

He used his hand to turn her face to him.

 _The bound is like that: The other one is priority number one, always._

 _I've noticed buzzard._ She gave him a weak smile.

"How could you two win against the entire army?" Asked Galan.

"Fire is the most efficient way to kill Valgs. I was sure they had killed him." Aelin held out her hand as she said it and let a flame burn in the palm of her hand. It was small and week. Rowan began to be worried. What was wrong?

"Wildfire" Yrene said thoughtfully. "That was what killed them. You snapped, so you hadn't full control over what the magic did. You had just one goal in your mind, one target, or a few hundred in this case."

"Yes. I wanted to show them what hell would be like." As Aelin answered, Rowan studied Galan's face. Chock and then fear. Galan had known that Aelin could lit a city on fire and kill three Valgprinces by herself. But now that he had witnessed her powers firsthand or at least the remains of what she could do.

She had killed hundreds of Valg soldiers by herself, when Rowan had been fighting for his life to be able to hold them back. Rowan was sure that Galan was contemplating what else Aelin was able to do. And he was afraid of the answer.

Aelin rested her forehead against Rowan's arm. Rowan could feel the heat from her. She was burning. A second later, he was the only thing that held her up.

"Aelin. Hey, how are you feeling? Aelin!" He shook her without getting any response.

Yrene was there a second later, checked Aelin's temperature and looking into her unseeing eyes.

"It's fine. She has a fever. Let's take her back to your tent and get her some water for when she wakes up again. You have seen people after burnouts before. She has used too much of her energy and needs to rest."

Rowan took Aelin and carried her to her tent. She had to be okay, otherwise, Yrene would had told him to take her to Yrene's tent so she could keep an eye on Aelin.

Chaol's perspective

He sat outside Aelin's tent. Waiting for her to come back. He had been to the healer's tent earlier and found it empty. A male healer had told him that Aelin was better and she wouldn't stay there any longer. Therefor he had come here.

Chaol had seen the remains of the battlefield. Witnessed what she could do with her power. At first that had scared him. Before he realized that Aelin never would use her powers for anything bad. She could be selfish and do stupid things. But she never hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. Of course she wouldn't

He heard steps and looked up. Because of the darkness couldn't he make out anything else than the contours of a person closing in.

"Aelin, you said…" But it wasn't just Aelin. The Fae came walking with long steps and held Aelin in his arms. When the Fae saw Chaol, he snorted.

"Get out of my way." Hard and cold, just as her voice had been when she spoke to him the last months.

"What's wrong with her." Rowan must had heard the genuine worriedness in Chaol's voice. "She is sick. It's not unusual after a burnout. She used to much of her power during the attack and that drained her."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Get some water and blankets." Chaol nodded, but hesitated. He didn't want to leave Aelin if she was sick.

"I'll take care of her."

Rowan had tucked in Aelin in multiple layers of blankets and sat on the ground with her head resting in his knee, when Chaol came back a few minutes later. Rowan's big hands that looked like they were made for tearing of his enemies' heads, was now stroking her cheek.

Chaol had been blind. How had he missed it? He had seen the way they looked at each other. Heard their laughs. He dropped the blankets on the ground and put down the bucket filled with water before he turned around and walked out.

How had he been such a fool? Why hadn't he been able to realize? He hadn't been able to accept what she was, and when he finally did, it was too late. She had found someone else. Why hadn't she told him?

He heard the Fae snort. "When she came here, she was in pieces. You had broken her. Don't think you can blame her for anything."

The words cut deep. Chaol knew they were true.

 **Seems like I can't hurt Chaol enough. What can I say, I don't like that guy.**


	28. Chapter 28 The overprotective Fae

**Craycray3 – Thank you! Here it comes.**

 **Jfouts006 – He does!**

 **Antagonist406 – Yeah he should have. But now I have the power to kick his ass and I'm going to use them. Just wait…**

 **Anika123 – Chill, I have a plan you know. Haven't you noticed that I have a thing for bringing old characters back? (Illias, Farran, Yrene…) But Nesryn might not come, this is my version of QOS and I had no idea of her existence when I started planning this.  
This is related fluffiness… So… Yes, now it's back. Next one should be more serious. I'm just in a Rowaelin mood and judging by the other reviews I'm not alone. **

**Pyromaniactic Pineapple – Okay just have to say, when I hear your username I see a pineapple smoking with sunglasses and a flamethrower.  
Thank you sooo much for the review! Haven't been able to stop smiling all day.**

 **Mysteries of the future – Let's hate together!**

 **Seems like there are some problems with the reviews right now. The guests' reviews aren't posted until a few days after they were written. But I get them the same second. Weird.**

28\. The overprotective Fae

Aelin's perspective

"You should lay down." Rowan said from the tent opening.

"You should shut up." Sometimes, he was too much, his overprotective Fae male side drove her crazy.

"Fireheart," Rowan looked annoyed at her.

"Buzzard," Aelin imitated his pose, with her hands on her hips and looking at him with meaningful raised eyebrows.

 _Lay down._

 _No._

 _If someone joins you?_

 _Depends._

"But if you feel like you are fully rested, Chaol has been here wanting to speak to you. You can always go to his and Aedion's tent and have a little chat." Rowan tried to look absolutely serious, but Aelin could see how he was laughing inside.

Just hearing Chaol's name was enough for Aelin to want to lay down and never get up again. Rowan must had realized, because he came over to her and took her in his arms.

Aelin pressed her face into his chest and took deep breaths. His scent filled her, but it was different now. There were no start and end between their different scents, they were completely intertwined.

Rowan lifted her up and laid her down on the ground, then he laid down next to her, pressing her against him again.

Rowan's perspective

"What is going to happen now?" Aelin sounded so small, so hopeless. It aced in him to hear her like that.

"How about laying here all day kissing?" He kissed her and she grabbed his hair, pulling him even closer. She was still burning, the heat coming from her in waves.

"Are you warm?" She nodded and started to kiss him again. Instead of getting up and get her the water-bucket a foot away he placed his hands on her back underneath her shirt and he used his powers to make his hands cold.

"Better?" This time he started to kiss her again. They lost track of time. He had no idea for how long they had laid on the ground kissing. Just that he didn't want to stop. But Aelin was sick and she should rest.

"What happens now Rowan?"

"You are the queen. I'm just your eternal servant." Aelin made an angry sound as an answer. "But I would _guess_ that the crowns prince is going to ask you to come with him to Varese and talk to his father about an alliance."

"You guess."

"I guess." Aelin let out a sigh and Rowan stroke her chin and looked worried at her.

"I just don't have the best memories from that city. Their wine suck. And it's hot, far too hot. Here at the coast it okay but…"

"Aelin, this is the reason you came to this continent. To find allies." She started to blush at that.

"No it wasn't. Not really. I… After Illias's death I was reminded how easy people die and I didn't want to spend another second apart from you. I felt so lost." She had come back for him. All this way to be with him. Rowan felt funny inside.

"But you are right Rowan, we need allies in this war. The King of Adarlan probably think we are allied already, judging by the fact that I have fought against his soldiers in Wendlyn twice now."

"He probably think so yes. The Wendlyn King also have a reason to ally with us now."

"If he doesn't accuse me of taking the war here, to his continent. I also need to speak to the rebels here in Wendlyn. Then we have to find the third Wyrdkey before Maeve or the king and we have to get magic back to Erilea so we can stand a chance in this war." Rowan could hear the hopelessness in her voice

"Aelin, remember that you are not alone. Send Ren and Chaol to speak to the rebels. They have been a part of the rebellion for longer than you."

"And getting magic and the Wyrdkey back?"

"I can…" Aelin interrupted him.

"You are not setting a foot in Erilea before magic is back. It's an order! I'll do it, somehow."

"How are you going to do that alone. You can't show up there. They'll kill you on the spot. The king and all of his soldiers and every single person who isn't sympathizing with the rebels - and even them would turn you in for the reward. Then there is Arobynn and his minions. They are everywhere, you have said so yourself."

They were quiet for a while.

"The others might have an idea." Aelin said at last.

"Do you really think so?" Rowan was surprised. Aelin had told him huw useless Chaol and Ren had been when they planned how to save Aedion.

"No. But we have forgotten one thing."

"What are you talking about?"

"The demi-Faes."

"What about them?" He didn't understand where she was going with this.

"They have decided to join us." What?

"But…" Aelin interrupted him again.

"Rowan. They have been oppressed for too long. Maeve only cares about them if they have some special talent. Otherwise they can rut in the fortresses without anyone bothers with them. I can't promise them anything more than, if we do win. They are welcomed to my country. They decided that it was better to fight for a home then stay."

"They are right." Rowan remembered the feeling of being alone, how it was just to follow Maeve. Then he met Aelin. It would had been easier to stay, but she was worth fighting for.

"I think I have a plan, but we should go to the others." Rowan moved closer to her and started kissing her neck. She hit him, not hard but enough to leave a mark.

"Hey! We have to." Rowan wasn't planning to leave this tent anytime soon.

"No, you are sick. It can wait one day."

"You really think you can hold me here?" Rowan raised his brows at that. Then he gave her a playful smile.

"Is that a challenge?" Aelin sighed and sat up. But Rowan was quicker. He sat on her stomach, nailing her to the ground. Locking her arms in a position so she wasn't able to get him off.

"I take it as a challenge." Rowan purred and was absolutely satisfied when he looked down at her. Her lips that was pressed into a thin line.

He chuckled and said, "you look so annoyed."

 _Bastard_

 _What?_

 _Get. Off. Me._

 _No_

Rowan lowered his head and kissed her neck again. She stopped trying to get him off her and he let her arms go. The second later she was pulling his lips to her.

Aelin's perspective

Rowan was right. She was sick, this was her sick-day and she was going to enjoy it.


	29. Chapter 29 The court

**I'M ALIVE! Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been sick.**

 **Antagonist406 – She totally deserves a sick day! Me too… *crossing my fingers hoping you guys will forgive me***

 **Dwiertella – I'll do my best to keep helping your sanity.  
P.S. Spanish is much harder than English! I'm reading that language too. Thank you, I'm doing my best!  
P.P.S. He'll die. Slowly.  
P.P.P.S Say hi to them from me :D  
P.P.P.P.S I have looked at this review like 1000 times. Thank you(again)! **

**Anika123 – So… Let's get this straight. Rowan uses the most of her powers to fight the Valgs. Aelin runs to the battle. Uses the rest of her powers to kill of all the Valgs that are left, all by herself and saves Rowan's and Aedion's life. Then she wakes up, realize that she has lost him, the man she loves is gone. She's a drama queen and has a burnout. I think that would equal in a miserable Aelin. Of course she would use him to carry her around and snuggle with him. What girl would say no to be carried around by a hot dude that says he loves her? (I wouldn't *winks*)  
I wouldn't call that pathetic, more like; saving her powers to save the world and kick some asses.**

 **Black Hide – Thank you so fraekin' much. I'm so glad to hear that you liked it. Your review has helped me through two tests today!**

Chapter 29. The court that will change the world

The fever was gone when she woke up and for the first time in days, her head felt clear. She knew what had to be done.

They met in the men's tent. Everyone tried to stay as far away as possible from Rowan. Aelin knew that he stood behind her whit his arms crossed and giving them the look – come closer on your own risk. They did right to stay away.

Aelin didn't know where to start. She knew they wasn't going to approve whit this plan. But what the hell! She was the most notorious assassin in the world, she had survived Endovier, killed three Valg princes on her own and she was _The Fire Breathing Bitch Queen_ , she was not going to care what these men thought.

"The demi-faes has joined our cause. They'll arrive any day now."

Chaol cleared his throat and said, "how can we be sure that they are loyal?"

Her gaze met his, "I know them. I know what they have gone through. I know what it's like to be oppressed." Her words where knifes and she saw how they hit the target. It filled her with a wicked joy.

"And you can be calm, most of them doesn't have fangs or claws. Hopefully their pointy ears aren't too much for you." Her grin was feral and she flashed her fangs to him. Surprisingly, he didn't take a step back.

She could almost feel Rowans grin.

"There are three key things that has to be done and it has come to my knowledge that I'm not capable of doing all three at once. One, Ren and Nox, you are going to meet with the rebels here in Wendlyn. We need to know where they stand and what their resources are."

Ren took a step forward, "as you wish, my Queen." Then he took a step back again.

"I'll send Emrys to help you find and speak to them. I trust him and you can do it as well. His mate and a few other demi-faes will come with you to protect and help you."

The easy part was done now. Time for the part that was going to piss of some males.

"Aedion, Chaol and Rowan, you are going to Varese. There your mission is to find out where the Wendlyn king stands and if Wendlyn is going to ally us in this war."

"What? Who will protect you?" Aedion almost screamed.

"I can take care of myself."

Rowan turned her around

 _You are kidding._

 _No. It's the best alternative. And second, you and Aedion need some bounding time._

Rowan knew she was right about it being the best alternative and he let her turn back to the others again.

"Aelin, they are going to rip each other into pieces. Aedion and Chaol can barely stand each other as it is. And with your Fae over there," he nodded towards Rowan, "can't I come with them. I don't want to miss that show." Nox chuckled. Aelin grinned back to him, he was right. She wouldn't like to miss that either.

Aedion had decided to ignore Nox's comment and asked her through gritted teeth, "And three?"

"I'll go back to Erilea with Luca."

"Luca?" Rowan sounded surprised. They both knew that he wasn't the best fighter.

"He looks human enough and I will need help."

Rowan knew better than to tell her to bring him instead.

"Aelin you can't be serious. I'll go with you." Aedion had no idea who Luca was and he didn't seem to like the fact that she was going with a stranger.

"Aedion," her voice was hard. He had to understand. "You are my cousin, meant to serve me from birth. You are also related to them, the Ashryver family. You are crucial for this alliance."

"And when you get to Erilea?"

"I'll blow up the tower Noll and free magic. At least if our assumptions are correct."

"Listen to yourself Aelin. So you'll go to Erilea, hoping that we guessed right. That the towers are blocking out magic and that destroying them will free it."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do." Her voice was dangerously low now.

"This is the new court of Terrasen. A court that will change the world. So don't doubt our Queen for a second. She can do anything." He looked at every single one of the men and Aelin saw how they changed, even Aedion.

They raised their hands in unison and said, "A court that will change the world."

 **I decided to wait with "The pissing contest" cuz we'll have plenty of them soon if you haven't guessed that already.**

 **But I'm going to miss the Rowaelin fluffiness…**


	30. Chapter 30 The arrivals

**I'll try to be better! But tings happen and yeah. Here is another kind of short chapter. Hope you'll enjoy.**

 **Mysteries of the future: Thank you for such a wonderful Review! (I still can't get over your name!)**

 **Dwiertella: Luca's time to kick some ass. Rowan's time to be the one left behind. So sad…**

 **I HAVE A FAN?! WTF?! OMG, *FANGIRLING AS F*! THANK YOU (L)(L)(L)**

 **No, omg I'm not self-thought. But my teacher found out that I was writing fanfiction (awkward as F) and she was like "tell me about it, can't you show me some reviews." I hadn't read your review yet, because of school, and she read it at the same time as I did… Well yeah. It was a special moment.**

 **The last part… I don't have a life either so… #nolife**

 **Black Hide: Thank you for the review! Rowaelin = Life. Pissing contests = Something totally weird that I can't stop laughing at, so we'll both find much joy in the future of "The pissy males' road trip."**

 **M of f: Thank you! And I hope you're already better cuz influenza sucks.**

Chapter 30. The arrivals

Aelin's perspective

"Galan," he turned around and met her gaze.

"Good morning," he hesitated before adding, "Aelin."

She nodded and stepped into the tent.

"What brings you here, if I might ask?" Galan said politely. She was still a queen, even if he referred to her by name.

"It has come to my attention that you are going to ask me to come with you to Varese."

"Yes. I've decided that I trust you, but I'm no king and my opinion doesn't matter. Still, I want to help you and pay back for everything we didn't do before." Aelin didn't know if she wanted to spit in his face or hug him. So she decided just to nod.

"I'm going to send prince Aedion, prince Rowan and Chaol with you, but I can't come." Aelin felt a sting of sadness when she was reminded that she soon would have to part from her mate and her friends.

"Where are you going?" Galan had a confused expression on his face.

"I'm going back to Erilea. I have found a way to free magic and if we want any real chance in this war, that is what we are going to need."

Galan stood quiet for a few seconds, thinking through what she said. Then he nodded slowly.

"My father can take that the wrong way, you going back."

"I know, but I don't have time for politics and as you have guessed already; politics aren't my strong side." Aelin winked and Galan laughed quietly. Then he looked serious again.

"So when do you leave?"

"The demi-Faes should arrive here any day and then I'll go. My delegation to the Erilean rebels here in Wendlyn will leave the same time as I."

Rowan's perspective

Rowan and Aelin stood on top of the hill north of the camp. They watched as the demi-Faes emerged from the forest in the distance. His grip around her hand tightened, they both knew what this meant; soon they would have to part again. Rowan felt sick. He didn't know how he would make it without her. He wanted to pin her down and make sure that she never would leave and never risk getting killed. But he knew that she would make it, she was the stronger of them, she was the strongest person he had ever met, she was… Aelin looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

 _What are you thiking about Buzzard?_

 _I don't want to leave you._

 _It's not permanently. Shouldn't you be relived to get a break from my humongous ego?_

 _When you say it like that. You are a smug bastard and…_ Aelin interrupted their silent discussion with a soft kiss. Then she turned to the demi-Faes again. And they both stood quiet and watched them come closer.

Luca walked among the first in the group. Rowan saw a smile spread on Aelin's lips when she saw him. It was weak and filled with sadness, but still a smile. Luca grinned back and he started to run.

"Luca!" Aelin ran to the young demi-Fae who took her in his arms. The young demi-Fae that would be her only protection in Erilea.

Even if she was strong, even if she was able to take care of herself and even if she was a badass, that didn't mean that Rowan wasn't going to be worried sick over her. At least when he didn't have his hands full with the two men he was going to travel with. It was going to be a long journey.

 **Started "The Darkest Minds" earlier today, I'm in love. If you follow Sarah J Maas on Goodreads, you'll know that she recommended it a few weeks ago and I kind of bought it without reading anything about it and now I'm like WOW. Why didn't I start reading this sooner? Why do I read so fast? The things that make a booknerds life so hard…**

 **I'm not making any sense right now. I'll just stop typing. Bye**

 **Just one thing more. I have a fan! (no, I'm never going to forget this moment)(yes, I'm fangirling over having fan, logic)**


	31. Chapter 31 The farewell kiss

**(A/N) I feel like you guys deserve an explanation. The reason I've had a lack of chapters the last couple of weeks was because I was in a crash with my EU moped. I couldn't sit for longer periods of time and after school, I was done sitting for the day. I finally felt better a few days ago, I had missed my keyboard so much and was excited to start writing again. I could just write for shorter periods of time, there for the chapter was very short last time. Then I crashed with my moped again two days ago. I didn't hurt my back as bad this time and I can sit for a bit longer periods of time now. So what the hell, I'm going to write.**

 **Dwiertella: 6 minutes, you reviewed in 6 minutes, I think you have the new record!**

 **I'm fangirling over having a fan that's fangirling over me fangirling over having my fan. Logic.**

 **Yeah, I'm kind of sadistic and enjoyed separating them, but now… I just want them back together. I think the mating changed them a bit and I have a hard time seeing them separated, or Rowan without Aelin anyways. Also the fact that they lost each other.**

 **Hope to see you in the reviews soon! Thank you for all the support. Love it!**

 **Black Hide: Here is another chapter for you! Thank you for the review.**

 **Mysteries of the future: Thank you! I can't wait to sit down and read them.**

 **I'm lazy so yea: OMG we have something in common (if your name is true). I was thinking about buying Passenger and now I think I will. Thank you for the review and here you have another chapter as a thank ;)**

 **Anika123: Sorry! I had my reasons to write a short chapter, as you could read in the A/N above. The chapter was written over a period of four days and I can agree with you; it was quite bad. I just felt like I had to post to get started again. At least some readers enjoyed last chapter. I'll take you advices in reconsideration. And you are correct, writing is what I want to do with my life so I take is serious. Thank you for all the reviews that allow me to improve. AND WHAT I have another fan? THANK YOU once again!**

 **Fandomsareforever15: Wuuut, omg another one. THANK YOU!**

Chapter 31. The farewell kiss

Aedion's perspective

Aedion stood on the dock and looked at Aelin boarding the ship. Rowan was already on deck. Aedion was jealous, why didn't he have a second shape so he could go with her a part of the journey and then fly back? Aelin turned around and her turquoise and gold stare met his. He ran to her and took her in his arms, he wouldn't let her leave without a proper goodbye.

"Free your fire and show them how hell will be. Make them pay for everything." His anger was clear and Aelin grinned to him.

"Just, try not to accuse them of being traitors, Aedion. And don't do or say anything I wouldn't…" Aedion gave her a meaningful look and she added, "well don't do or say anything I would either."

Aedion kissed her forehead and looked at his cousin. They grinned to each other and then Aelin turned around and boarded the ship. And Aedion stood and watched as it sailed away into the horizon.

He should be with her, he should be with his Queen, his cousin, his meaning. He might not be her blood sworn, but he was still her protector and had been since her birth. If his present couldn't be to any help for her, he would make sure he was helping in other ways.

Rowan's perspective

He kissed her a final time. Gave her a look that told her how much he loved her and then he said it out laud, she swore to him and told him what his fate would be like if he died and left her. She didn't miss the gory details. She pressed her lips against his for the last time and pushed him away. He changed to his hawk shape and let his powerful wings spread. Before leaving the ship behind, he gripped some of Luca's tawny curls with his claws and pulled. The youngling told Rowan not to be afraid, that Elentyia would protect him. Rowan let out a cry and left the ship and his mate behind.

Rowan stood by his hoarse and watched the other men came towards him. It was a week since Aelin and the delegation to the rebels had left. Rowan and the others would leave the camp and head to the capital. Galan had sent words to his father who would be expecting them, he would stay and help building up Wendlyn's defense and come after a week later.

The men had stopped "We should turn right here, go into the forest." Chaol said.

"No" Rowan said.

"It's the faster way. You said it yourself. So why not?" Rowan was really getting annoyed at this human.

"Because Aelin told me to keep you alive, and these forests aren't like anything you have ever seen before, captain." He said the last word in a sarcastic voice. He leaned forward and placed his face close to the human's. With a feral grin he whispered; "they bite."

The human swallowed and Rowan knew how much his closeness bothered the man and his grin widened. He couldn't help but to add, "if it was up to me, we would take that way."

Rowan mounted his horse and continued straight ahead, he heard the two others do the same.

Aedion's perspective

He was done with that old bastard. Aedion was tired of playing nice, this was too much. It was an hour before sundown, unbearably hot and they hadn't stopped for hours. As soon as Aedion or Chaol said anything the bastard just snarled or just straight up ignored what they said.

Aedion and Chaol had been discussing what they would do if the King denied an alliance. They had asked Rowan about his opinion, he had met the king before. And just as he had all day, Rowan just snarled.

"How do my cousin stand you?" Aedion was done with this.

Rowan's perspective

"How does she stand you?" Snarled Rowan. He was tired, he hadn't slept anything last night. Rowan had felt how Aelin had passed the invisible boarder, and then he felt nothing. At least he hoped it was the boarder. He had to bury his claws in the ground so he didn't change and flew after her. Why had they separated again?

"Because I'm her cousin, her best friend, her protector since birth. But you. You might not be one of Maeve's minions anymore, but you still served her. You still decided to devote your immortality to fulfil her wishes." Aedion nearly screamed.

"I have lived for so much longer than you princeling. Aelin knew my reasons and she decided to trust me and I'm you Queen's blood sworn and mate now." _And that's more than you are._

Rowan saw how the male clenched his fists and a grin spread across his face. But it was fake. Rowan felt funny inside. He hadn't enjoyed hurting the male as much as he thought he would. He saw how Aedion realized something.

"What is wrong then?" Aedion whispered.

Rowans fake grin was gone and he stared empty at Aedion.

"She has passed the boarder; her magic is gone… I can't feel her." He fell silent.

"Or?"

"She is on the bottom of the ocean. Dead." Rowan saw how all color disappeared from the tanned males face.

"She said that you could feel when the other used their magic." Rowan nodded as an answer. Aedion continued, "if she would had been on her way to die, she would had fought and you would had known." Rowan nodded again and he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Aedion's perspective

Aedion had seen the pain in the Fae's eyes when Aelin was brought up and his relief when he finally was certain that she was alive.

"Glaston Ashryver loved his sisters. He would never risk their lives if had any other choice. What held him back from sending aid back then can hold him back now too." Aedion looked surprised at Rowan. It took him a moment to realize that Rowan replied to what he had asked before. And they continued discussing the matter as they set up camp for the night.

 **Pissy males on a road trip, who can't love it?**

 **Just a heads up. I've seen a sneak peak of Frostbyte's chapter 50 special. Don't miss it! It was AMAZING!**


	32. Chapter 32 The horizon

**(A/N) Our beloved Frostbyte has been diagnosed with the horrible decease PESWB and has shown multiple of the worse symptoms; Writer's block, WRITING IN CAPS LOCK WITHOUT PUNCTIATION, over-sensitiveness and flailing on the floor. Frostbyte wanted me to tell that she is alive. Don't worry guy's if Frostbyte doesn't update soon, I'll personally make it my mission to give us that update, even if it involves killing Fleetfoot (plz update, I love that dog).**

 **Black hide: Thank you for the review, this chapter is a bit longer, just for you! Hope you'll enjoy this piece of fanfic.**

 **Dwiertella: I know the feeling…**

 **Logic is gone, insanity rules the world. I have failed you, I was supposed to keep your sanity intact… I'm sorry…**

 **Fandomsareorever15: I'm okay, don't worry, thank you for the concern! I'm so glad you liked the last chapter.**

 **Abc123drm: hahahahahahah *can't brethe*, after this review. Omg thank you. Still can't stop laughing. Thank you! Xxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Guest: You might be on to something. I see pissing contests in a near future. But not this time *sad face* Thank you for the review!**

 **Anika123: I'm trying to base the personalities on what happens in the story. I know they can be a bit of sometimes, more like; misses the target completely and shoots my own foot instead.**

 **And yeah, it was very shocking. You know, I sit alone in my room killing characters for fun. I really can't understand that there's actually people reading this. It's an amazing feeling to know that someone likes what you do. Thank you for all the support and help!**

 **LililyMaee: First; this is the hardest name I have spelled, EVER. Took me like 10 tries xD**

 **THAN YOU! Omg, you have no idea how happy this review made me. I'm so freaking glad that you love the story and you deserve so freaking much credit for reading this whole thing at once, seriously! You are crazy! The story is around 60 word pages now. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Omg, THANK YOU! (and ofc I'm not planning to stop writing this)**

 **A big thank to everyone who reads this. I'm so glad that you guys still are with me and for all of the support. As I said to Anika123 earlier, it's hard to really realize that there is actually someone who is going to read this and seeing your reviews makes it so much more real. Don't worry, I'm still planning how to kill Chaol, don't think that he got away…**

Chapter 32. The horizon

Ren's perspective

It was so damn hot in this country, Ren didn't if he could take it anymore. He was born in the north and he was made for blizzards, not heat. His mood didn't improve when he saw the thief. Why was the queen associating with people like that and why had they been sent together?

Ren looked over at the demi-Faes, he hadn't seen any of their kind since the world went to hell. Emrys, the one with the bad leg, a hunched back and snow-white hair walked hand in hand with his mate, Malakai. Emrys had been the only positive thing about this trip, he reminded Ren of his grandfather.

They sat around the camp fire, Ren was looking into the fire and listen intensely at the night's story. He always pretended not to listen, but he always did. Tonight it was the story about his queen and how she had fought the three Valg-princes'. A demi-Fae shouted to Emrys and told him that he had missed the part when Aelin said something rather vulgare. Nox laughed and told the rest of them another story about what Aelin had said and the males, pounded Nox in the back and laughed with him.

They heard a muffled scream from the guard and suddenly they were surrounded by about twenty men and had weapons pointing at them.

"Who are you?" A man shouted from the darkness outside the firelight.

Ren stood up and looked where the man should be.

"Who are you?" He shouted back.

"A friend or an enemy, depending on who Faes' serve."

Malakai stood with a drawn sword.

"We serve our Queen." The world froze. It was the moment when everyone realized that it was time to fight, that this might be some of their last seconds in this world. A voice came through the emptiness.

"Our Queen is not who you think. We are done with Maeve, we fight for us and our future, a future on another continent. Let us go without a fight and we won't bother you." Emrys still sat on his log next to the fire, stirring in the pot were the night's meal was cooking.

"If you don't serve Maeve, then who do you serve?" The man asked.

"Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the rightful ruler of Terrasen." Ren said.

The weapons were no longer pointing at them and the man stepped into the circle of light. He had a northern look, tall, broad shoulders, piercing grey eyes and short blond hair. He looked to be somewhere around twenty.

And he should be far, far away.

"Ravi?" Ren didn't know if he should draw his sword and decapitate the man. Because the man standing in front of Ren was the Lord of Suria's brother. The king had let him live, didn't that mean that Ren should kill him?

"Yes, my name is Ravi, and I'm with the Rebels stationed here in Wendlyn. And who are you?"

"I'm Ren Allsbrook, I'm the leader of the Queen's delegation. I'm sent here to take control…" Emrys interrupted him. But not before Ravi's handsome face had been contorted by anger.

"We are sent here to talk to you. To see if you are prepared to take back Terrasen." Ren was about to tell the old man to go to hell, but the hard lines in Ravi's face had softened and he nodded politely to the demi-Fae.

"Greeting's my fellow. Come with us back to our camp."

"We'll have time to eat first, the stew is almost done." The two men nodded in agreement and Ren had a feeling that he wouldn't do much of the talking. It might be for the best. His grandpa had always told Ren that he was better at making enemies than friends.

Aelin's perspective

She had been prepared when they passed the invisible boarder, at least she had believed so. But nothing could have prepared her for it. Aelin had forgotten what emptiness felt like, how it was to live without the two thing she had become dependent on; her magic and Rowan. But now, she was alone, it was just her against the world.

Aelin ducked and swept out with her foot. Luca fell to the ground and she disarmed him easily. Then she held his own blade to his throat and said, "I win."

Aelin grinned down on him before she helped him up on his feet. He was about to start talking again, Aelin had learned the signs – his nostrils flared and he took an extra breath. Aelin gave him his dagger back and the second lather the ship heeled and Luca took his chance, this time he was pinning her down to the ground with a blade to her throat.

"I win," Luca said, this time grinning down on her.

No way. They had been training for weeks and Aelin was determined to stay undefeated. She grinned even wider than he when she dug her nail into his leg and he screamed of pain. Aelin got him off her and she hit his wrist so he dropped the dagger. They got in a fistfight and it was no question who would win. Aelin stayed undefeated.

The night had fallen and Aelin had climbed to the top of the mast. She felt the cold sea breeze and the taste of salt in the air. Aelin turned her gaze towards the stars. When she sat there, the ocean scent was replaced with the scent of pine and snow, the scent of home. The emptiness in Aelin's chest was filled with love and longing. When she later climbed down to the deck; she walked with swagger and held her head high. And before nightfall the next day, she could see land in the horizon. Soon, she would be back in Erilea.

 **Thank you all!**


	33. Chapter 33 The Wendlyn king

**I have started to work on the upcoming chapters already. Oh, the things you don't know! Such power.  
I'll respond to all the newest review's in the next chapter.  
I Love you guys and thanks to all of you for the amazing support! **

**A big thank to Mysterious of the future for helping me out with today's chapter.**

33\. The Wendlyn king

Chaol's perspective

The males were shouting at each other, just as usual. Chaol didn't even know what it was about this time, he didn't particularly care either. He just wished they would shut up – they were drawing to much attention to the group when they traveled along the heavily trafficked road going to Varese.

The land they passed where dry and it was a long way from the thick forests and green hills they had left behind by the cost. Everything was so different from the soggy and frozen kingdom Chaol had left behind.

Hiss trained eyes were sweeping over the crowd, he couldn't rest for a single moment. He had spotted four guards already during the day. They were easy to make out in their light armor and impressive number of weapons. And Chaol had to admit that they were good at what they were doing.

As he looked over the crowd a thought struck him; What would these people say if they knew that the two hooded men that where snarling at each other, were princes? What would they say if they knew that he was Rifchold's captain of the royal guards, or at least he had been? " _You will always be my enemy_ " – he heard her just as clear as he had then, all the rage and all the hate.

Aedion's perspective

The old bastard must had gone crazy in the heat. It had begun in the morning when he decided that it was a good idea to identify themselves before entering the capital. Rowan was already a giant – but a giant with fangs – that was worse. And a giant that where a deadly Fae, but not just a Fae but commonly known as Maeve's Fae – that was even worse. They should stay hooded for as long as possible. Rowan had decided to listen to Aedion, but he had a strong feeling that it was just because Rowan wanted him to shut up.

An hour later they had started to argue about what to do when they reached Varese, Aedion wanted to get a feeling of the city before entering the dragon's den, he wanted to enter the city after the darkness had fallen and stay at _tabernas_ for a night or two.

He didn't know his uncle, he didn't know what he would do when he saw the man that had watched as Aedion's family had been slaughtered and looked the other way all the years Aedion's people had been in slavery.

Surprisingly, the Fae had argued against Aedion. He had thought that Rowan would like to get an overview of the situation, planning seemed like something he liked to do – he was so cold and calculating. But no. The Fae had just snarled at Aedion, told him that it was a stupid idea and that they would enter through the eastern gate in the wall and ride straight way to the castle gate. Aedion was starting to realize that the Fae might be just as stubborn as his cousin. By the Wyrd, if the King of Adarlan wouldn't kill him, Aedion would jump out of a window rather than to live in a castle with the both of them.

They entered the city through the eastern gate, just as Rowan had said. But Aedion forgot everything about their argument, when they entered the pulsating city. The air was filled with the thick scent of spices and from the market places the dry wind carried the vendors' shout's as they offered the capital's best _teggya_ or fine wine. This was the place where his mother had been born and raised. This was the city where his father might be. No, his father had to be Fae and no Fae seemed to live inside these walls'.

Rowan's perspective

There was a reason for him to decide that they would use the eastern gate. It wasn't the fastest way to the castle or the strategically best option to avoid the crowds, it was a detour – a stupid and unnecessary detour. But he couldn't help it.

They passed the house, with the roof where Rowan had seen her for the first time. He just got two seconds to glare into the alley where she had said her first words to him. Where he had stood eye to eye with the sun-burned princess, with a split lip and that smelled from sour wine and days of neglect. What he had hated her, she had reminded him too much of himself. Reminded him of his loss. But that hate was nothing compared to the love filling his chest when he thought about his mate.

It might be a detour. It might be stupid. But it had been worth it. If only to remember the face Aelin had made when the woman had called her a slattern, how he had laughed.

They approached the castle wall and the heavy guarded gate. As they came closer, one of the guards standing next to the gate walked over to them and with Rowan's enchanted hearing he could pick up the annoyed mutter when the guard had to leave his post in the cooling shadow.

"Identify yourself! Come on hurry up, don't waste my precious time." The guard shouted to the trio. The other guard who was smart enough to realize that the giant on the fine horse with the army marks had to be someone important – a Fae, cringed at his fellow's words.

Rowan grinned from the cover of his hood, this was going to be fun. He rode closer to the guard and from his spot on the ground, the guard had to bend back to be able to look up at Rowan. Rowan revealed his face, gave the man a cold smile and a look that would had made Aelin proud.

"Prince Rowan. What can I do for you, your highness?" The guard gasped and Rowan wanted nothing more than to show his fangs in a feral grin. Wanted to feel the scent of fear.

"Take me and my company to the king. Hurry, I don't want you to waste more of your precious time than you have to." Rowan could hear Aedion chuckle from somewhere behind him and whisper something to Chaol about the guard deserving some credit for not wetting his pants.

Aedion's perspective

They were shown through the limestone castle to the giant throne room. On a grand throne flanked by guards he sat, King Glaston Ashryver, Aedion's uncle.

The company bowed to the king and from his spot behind Rowan, Aedion did his best not to be noticed. The Ashryver eyes looked past Aedion and directly at Rowan.

"Prince Rowan Whitethorn, it wasn't yesterday. I have been expecting you, my guards told me they had spotted you on the main-road." Well, it seemed like the old bastard had been right; they would never be able to hide. "I have heard many rumors about you lately. Makes me wonder, are all just rumors? Now tell me. Is it true? Are you no longer her eternal servant?" Aedion had a strong feeling that the king meant slave.

"Yes, it's true."

The king waited for Rowan to continue, but Aedion knew that Rowan wasn't going to. After seconds of silence the king spoke.

"Then, who are you accompanied by today prince?"

"May I present to you, your nephew Aedion Ashryver and Chaol Westfall, one of the leaders in my queen's army."

"Aedion." The king whispered and raised from his throne. "So it's true, you and Aelin are both alive. I didn't even dare to trust my own son's word." He talked directly to Aedion now, Rowan had been forgotten. His uncle walked over to Aedion and looked him up and down before embracing him.

The King was so much like Aedion's mother, the kind and wise eyes… No, he was a murderer, a traitor, he had let them die. The king must have had sensed Aedion's internal struggle because he took a step back.

"Join me for supper, we have so much to talk about."

The king pressed them for information during the dinner, but just about Aelin and Aedion's health and worthless details, like how their journey from the camp had been. It seemed like Rowan had been correct; whatever had stopped the king from sending aid eleven years ago was still stopping him now.

Rowan could try to convince the king. Aedion would do what he did best, he would attend parties and get to know the castles noble ladies. And drink, Aelin might not like the Wendlyn wine, but Aedion would sure as hell do it.

Rowan's perspective

Rowan was about to punch something. Two weeks, two damned weeks and he wasn't any closer to getting aid in the upcoming war than he had been when he arrived. The human wasn't to any help, the second they had realized his connections to the royal family of Adarlan, he had been put under around the clock supervision and Rowan had, if possible come even further way from his goal. Why had Aelin sent Chaol with him? What was her plan? And her damned cousin, he was even worse. Aedion had spent these weeks to party and to take as many noble ladies to bed as possible. Rowan couldn't believe that he had started to accept the princeling.

If it was something Rowan would punch, it would sure as hell be the womanizer's smug grin.


	34. Chapter 34 The tower of null

**Who is the person from Austria who has looked at this story 51 times this month? 51 times in 8 days… You deserve a… To get a life? *winks***

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 **Mysteries of the future: Heir o Fire, page 7, a third down the page is the description of Wendlyn. Not really tropical. More like… My geography in the middle of the night aren't the best. Heh.**

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 **A big thank to all of the new followers lately, such a fantastic feeling to see the message pop up.**

 **(A/N) Any opinions – fewer longer chapters or shorter chapters more often?  
**

Chapter 34. The Tower of darkness and freaky-hellish-things

 _When the word of the Terrasen heir's last battle had spread, so had the king's men. It was now common knowledge that Terrasen and Wendlyn were allied and the people was prepared for battle. The king had ordered from his glass-throne that every single inch of the empire, even the desert, would be patrolled._

Aelin's perspective

The clothes fit for the desert would cover Luca's pointy ears, but they wouldn't cover enough of Aelin's own face. She only knew one way and quite a gruesome way to deal with it and Luca had disliked it even more than she did.

"Eileithyia. It's not necessary." He prayed.

"Do you really think that I would jeopardize my stunning face if it wasn't necessary?" Aelin grinned to him, "I have enemies everywhere. If they recognize us, we are dead. I might be good at kicking ass, but protecting yours at the same time... Do it, it's an order"

Luca must had seen the determination in her face, because he swallowed and his broad shoulders sank. He looked absolutely miserable but he just clenched his fists and nodded.

Aelin pointed where and Luca hit. Punch after punch. Soon her face was far beyond recognition. She was painfully reminded of her first visit to the peninsula.

In the cover of the night they landed in Yurpa, the most southern city with a port big enough for the ship. It was also used to ships leaving and entering in cover of the dark and the people had learned not to ask questions. Before leaving the ship, Aelin had given the captain new orders. The look he had given her when he had seen her swollen face had told her that she had accomplished what she had wished with the beating. No one would want to look at her any longer than they had to.

It had only taken Aelin an hour to find the local rebels. The city was swarming with guards and it was to Aelin's big surprise that they hadn't found the rebels' yet, but she knew that it was only a matter of time.

They had left Yurpa the following morning before sunrise. On the back of their Asterion mares and guided by two rebels, the journey had been easy enough. One rebel would leave them shortly to send a message to the Silent assassins', while the other one would show them the way through the desert.

Even if the journey was easy, it was still unpleasant. Aelin had never grown used to the heat and the sand was driving her mad; sand in her food, sand in her eyes and sand in her shoes. By the Wyrd, the only thing that could make it worse would be the smell of fish and after two days of sweating in the desert, that was exactly what they smelled like.

Luca didn't speak to the rebel and the way he looked at the man made Aelin's heart ached. She had hoped that she had been wrong, that Bas's betray wouldn't leave tracks. But when she looked at Luca now, it was clear that it had. He smiled less and there was a constant line in his forehead. His eyes where filled with a new determination and a hate that she couldn't get used to, she didn't want to either.

Aelin was quiet most of the time, still thinking of what she would have to do. How big of a risk it would be, not just for her but for this realm.

On the third day, a few minutes before sundown, they could see the black silhouette against the horizon. From their protected position on the top of a dune, they could see at least fifty guards between them and The Tower of Null. It was more like _The Tower of darkness and freaky-hellish-things._

"Luca, there was a reason for me to bring you here. You are the backup plan." Aelin hated herself for asking this of him, he was so young. He had experienced war once and she had seen the effect on him.

"What do you need me to do?" He looked at her with that dark determination. He would do whatever she asked of him.

"If I fail, I need you to go The Western Wastes and find The High Queen of the Wastes. You know her. She may be the only one left with raw magic. Get her to destroy the tower and free magic. Don't ask her to do it for you or anyone else, but show her what she has to gain." Aelin knew that the woman just did what would help herself and herself only.

"How do you expect me to know her?" Luca's lips where slightly open and the confusion was clear.

"The woman who visited Mitsward three years ago, she who wielded raw magic and was called to Dornell, her name was Ansel, right?" Aelin could see Luca's eyes widen and he nodded slowly. "I think you are the only one who would be able to talk to her. The only one able to convince her to blow up one of the towers. But that is just plan B, only if I die."

He nodded again and Aelin took his hand.

"This world is a dark place Luca, but even in the darkest places, there are light. Don't let the darkness consume you, don't let the light fade away. Because total darkness is the worst thing there is and there is few who can guide you to light again." Aelin knew the darkness all too well and there was few she would wish that for. Luca embraced her as the sun sank behind the black dunes in the west and when the darkness had fallen he let her go.

Aelin looked at him a final time, felt the love filling her before blocking it out, before becoming the empty assassin who had walked this continent for ten years. She turned around and started to make her way down the dune, and in her sand colored clothes and in the protection of the darkness, no one saw her.

Dorian's perspective

(A/N: Just to clarify things a little bit; He is Dorian and _he_ is the Valgprince possessing our beloved prince.)

She had not forgotten him.

 _He_ had not forgotten her.

She had not forgotten him.

 _He_ had not forgotten her.

She had not forgotten him.

 _He_ had not forgotten her. _He_ would never forget her, even if _he_ never had met her. She had killed _his_ brothers, she who was filled with so much darkness, she had killed them with light.

He didn't know how to control _him_. _Him_ , the thing possessing him. He was he, and _he_ was something, someone completely different.

 _He_ remembered her light from his brothers' eyes. _He_ remembered the darkness within her from _his_ brothers' eyes. _He_ remembered her pain…

No, he couldn't let _him_ take over. _He_ shouldn't remember her memories, her pain. It was her and her alone. He couldn't remember his own name, or her name. He could only remember the name of the dead. Sorcha. Sorcha was gone. He didn't remember what love felt like, only that he had loved her.

 _He_ liked his pain, _he_ liked seeing him suffer. _He_ showed him the image of her death, showed him how her head had hit the floor and rolled towards him.

She had not forgotten him. She hadn't, she would come. She would come and they would change the world together.

He was pathetic, he still hoped even after forgetting his own name. _He_ didn't like him. But _he_ liked his pain.

Aelin's perspective

Aelin ran hunched over the sand, making as little sound as possible. She passed patrols of guars, but no one noticed her. If there would be a battle, just three or four guards would be able to attack her at once, and three or four men was nothing. Especially not when they were dressed in heavy armor and carried broadswords. Strangely enough, she hadn't seen anyone with a bow or crossbow yet. These guards had to be here to keep others away, not to protect the tower. They weren't wearing any rings either and unpossessed soldiers was no match for The Bitch-queen. Still, it would be much easier to grill the soldiers after she had freed magic and her fire-breathing would be back.

Aelin where a few feet from the tower and far away from the closest patrol. All of them seemed to keep their distance from the black tower. A chill ran down Aelin's spine and she could understand far too well why the wanted to keep their distance.

She sat down and started to draw lines in the sand with one of her daggers. For her inner eyes, she saw the marks just as clear as they had been in the dream. The rest of the world disappeared as Aelin continued, they had to be perfect. And they were.

She drew the dagger over her underarm and her blood dripped into the furrows in the sand. The last drop of blood filled the last Wyrdmark and dry wind started to blow at Aelin from all directions as she chanted the words from her dream. The wind made hair loosen from her braid, she got sand in her mouth and eyes and she heard muffled screams from a far, but didn't care.

Everything that mattered where the words, the marks. Aelin felt the power as the portal opened and she jumped down without hesitation.

A realm of darkness and emptiness, but it wasn't completely empty, she could hear the cry of a creature from a far, it would probably be drawn to the portal. She looked up and saw the portal in the midair. Her mortal body would never be able to jump high enough.

But magic existed here. Still, she couldn't change shape, something held her back.

Panic filled her, all would be for nothing if she failed. Everyone would die if she failed. No, not now, this couldn't happen now. A voice came to her through her panic " _See what you want, Aelin, and seize it. Don't ask for it; don't wish for it. Take it."_ And Aelin took it.

She where no longer a captive in her mortal body. Nothing held her back from her powers and she summoned the flame within her. She shot fire out of the portal and into her world, fire so hot that it could melt stone. But she didn't melt the tower, she made it explode in and inferno of flames. Aelin jumped, her hands grabbed the corner of the portal and she heaved up and out back into her world.

A world that now filled with magic. A feral grin was spread across Aelin's lips as she stood eye to eye with the soldiers left who had survived the explosion. She killed them without hesitation. All of them with a single flame. She lifted her head to the air and a far too familiar sent was carried by the wind.

But she was too late to notice, and a cold blade was pressed to her throat. She couldn't move. Even if she used all of her power, she couldn't move a finger.

"Impressive, it's so sad that your life will end here." A cocky male voice purred.

"Arobynn." He had to be wearing the Wyrdkey.

"Celaena or should I say Aelin? Well, it doesn't matter now." He sounded sad, like he wasn't enjoying the thought of killing his former student. "Any last words?"

"Go to hell," Aelin swore and Arobynn laughed.

"Oh, you have it all wrong, you are the one going to hell now" and he pressed his dagger deep into her throat, Aelin couldn't help the scream coming out of her mouth.

Aelin was starting to lose consciousness and darks spots where dancing in her view. A muffled roar from behind and Arobynn let her go. Aelin fell to her knees in the sand, choking on her own blood. She looks up just as Arobynn buried his knife deep in Luca's chest.

Blood was pumping out of her throat. But all pain vanished when she saw Luca fall. Everything she had left was burning rage.

Aelin who was no longer locked by the Wyrdkey threw herself at Arobynn and clawed at his face. She would had been screaming if her vocal cords still would be working. Nothing else mattered than to hurt him, hurt Arobynn like he had hurt her. Because the only thing Arobynn truly loved was himself and all of his power. She was going to take it all from him. Her hand found the chain around his neck. She managed to get it over his head and with her last powers, Aelin knocked Arobynn down the portal and into the other realm.

She had no power left to close the portal or to do anything more than to fall down in the sand. She just preyed that the creatures would be satisfied with Arobynn until the portal was closed by itself. Aelin looked over at Luca, his eyes where still open. She had to close his eyes, that might be all peace she could give him. She started to crawl to him and left a blood trail behind. Blood was still pumping out of her wound so she had to do it before she bled out, before it was too late. She was by his side now.

He was breathing, Luca was still alive. But he wouldn't be for long.

"Laeu… Laeu." Luca shushed her and smiled slightly, a smile filled with great pain.

"Save your power" he coughed and blood covered his hand. It had to be and internal bleeding. "I love you and tell Emrys…" He coughed more blood. "Tell him I love him too." Aelin nodded and tears streamed down her face and the dark spots continued to dance in the corners of her vision.

"Elenthyia, be the light in the darkness. Be our people's light-bringer. It's not too late." She wanted to scream at him, telling him that they were both dead, that they would die in this desert, that his sacrifice had been for nothing. Once more, someone lost their life because they thought that she could do something more than they could. Why didn't they see that she was useless?

"Show him what hell is like." His voice was merely a whisper and Aelin cried as Luca took his last breath. She closed his eyes and then her own.

She was in the middle of a bloody desert, bleeding out, there was nothing she could do. Aelin decided just to lay put where she was - next to Luca's corpse in the middle of the godforsaken desert and wait for the unavoidable, her death.

But she couldn't. Too many had sacrificed their lives for her, she had freed magic but she still had he own and Nehemia's people left to free. Aelin clenches her fist around the chain she still held in her hand. The Amulet of Orynth, but it wasn't just an amulet, it was the third Wyrdkey. She held it up and it dangled in front of her. The crowned white stag stared back and she felt her power moving inside. The skin around the wound in her throat started to itch and she felt how the wound healed.

Well, she wouldn't die to blood loss today, maybe tomorrow. Aelin hung the chain around her neck and gaped when the power started to fill every inch of her being. Seemed like she would be able to close the portal after all, but she had one thing left to do first.

It seemed like she had been correct, a creature had been drawn by the magic. Aelin landed behind Arobynn and stood with her arms crossed and watched as he fought for his life. He was about to lose and summoned a small flame, the light made the creature back away.

"Isn't this fun?" Aelin chuckled and cocked her head.

Arobynn turned around and stared at her.

"So sad that I don't have time for you. I have imagined this moment for so long." She chuckled again when she saw his widened eyes. A new anger spread across his face.

"Well, it seems like I'll die painless after all. Neither Sam or you do much out of your threats." Oh, how bad she wanted to strangle him.

"Don't worry, you won't die yet." Aelin disarmed him and created a circle of fire around him. "Our realm's laws aren't the same as this one's. You will not die of hunger or thirst and I have made sure that these creatures won't hurt you. See you when I have time, it might take a while." Aelin grinned at her formal master before jumping back out of the portal.

He had gotten away easy for now. But she would come back and she would get her revenge.

Luca was dead, just as so many more and Arobynn would pay for what he had done.


	35. Chapter 35 The burning rage

**(A/N) - From three weeks ago until the beginning of June, I'll have big tests nearly every week. So I have a hard time to sit down for longer periods of time writing. But I'll do my best to ignore school and do what I love instead, killing book characters. But as I have proven before; my best kind of suck.**

 **BTW! DID YOU GUYS HEAR THE NEWS? Sarah J Maas is a part of the team re-writing superhero stories to YA-novels. Countdown for August 2017 has started!**

 **BTW 2! 158 days until Empire of Storms.  
I. CAN'T. WHAIT.**

 **Softballpup12 – I'm not the queen of the evil writers for nothing. Thank you for the review. *whisper* I still feel bad, but don't tell anyone, that would destroy my reputation as an evil bastard.**

 **Black Hide – Thank you! Well this is a bit longer chapter… Sorry for keeping you waiting.**

 **Mysteries of the future – Thank you, I'm so glad you loved it! I do agree with you; the last chapter was a lot to take in.  
But come on man, I did my best to make everybody cry by killing Luca and you didn't even care! How dare you? Didn't you say that you would kill yourself if I killed Luca the chapter before?  
Yes, I'll make sure to torture Arobynn, that bastard will feel pain. Mowhahahah  
Thank you once again!**

 **Guest 1 – *squealing like a fan-girl over having someone squealing like a fan-girl over my story***

 **Guest 2 – I like you. I like you a lot. Yes, I'll kill them all!  
I feel a bit like Ash Ketchum; "Gotta kill 'Em all!  
Thank you! Gruesomeness for the win.**

Chapter 35. The burning rage

Aelin's perspective

Aelin burnt Luca's body by midnight. The flames rose high in the sky and the black smoke rose even higher. She didn't cry, her tears wouldn't honor his sacrifice. Only action would.

She should be completely drained by now, but the Wyrdkey had destroyed the well inside her and the barrier between her and her power was gone. The magic was floating through her veins.

Aelin woke up before dawn and if she had felt strong before, it was nothing compared to now. It was like seeing the world with new eyes, everything was brighter. It was so wrong when everything felt so much darker.

Sand for as long as Aelin could see, nothing living was left, she had made sure of that. She found the rebel where she had left him, a dagger was imbedded in his back and the sand had been dyed red by his blood. Judging by the smell of his decomposing body, he had been killed just after she had left him and Luca. The horses had also been killed, such a waste. The Asterion mares had been so fine.

Aelin burnt the corpses and her flames consumed them in mere seconds. A dagger of guilt was imbedded between her ribs and when she looked down over the area where the tower and all those humans had been just a few hours ago, the dagger was turned.

She didn't look back when she started running.

How bad she wanted to turn around and open up the portal, to finish what she had started with Arobynn. She should had clawed out his eyes. She should have… No, she was going to kill the power-hungry king, after that she was going to tear down the slave camps, then she would rebuild her country and when she had saved the world she was going to take her sweet time with Arobynn.

Aelin was determined only too look ahead.

She had been wearing the Wyrdkey before. It didn't give her any additional powers, but it amplified her own. So it had been the drop of water-magic that had saved her so many years ago. She had been a child and had no control over her overwhelming powers. But she was a woman now and she had learned how to control the magic that filled her. What would she be able to do with that drop now? An idea had started to form in the back of her mind. She changed her course and headed straight for the coast.

When she ran – it felt like the first time she had turned into her Fae shape after all years looked in her mortal body. The power floating through her was nearly overwhelming. She reached the coast a few hours later and it was time to see if she was right.

Aelin looked out over the sea, shades of blue for as long as she could see. The ocean had always made her feel so small and lonely. But the bound was pulling her towards the other side of the sea and to her mate.

She hunched down and took of her shoes. Then she walked to the water line and continued on. Her magic helped her to stay on the surface and she started to move.

Her feet never left the water. It was like running, but still nothing like it. The water helped to push her and she moved with an unbelievably speed. Aelin could feel the bound grow stronger for every second.

Rowan's perspective

 _Earlier last night_

"How are you going to withstand the Adarlan forces?" Rowan was on the verge to pin the king to the floor and use his chair to bang some sense into the king's head. By now he would be holding Aelin back if she would had been there. But to be honest, Rowan wasn't completely sure if he would be holding her back or not.

"Are you saying that my son isn't a capable blockade-runner…" The king continued to talk but Rowan wasn't listening anymore. The bound was back. A grin spread across his lips.

"She did it." He couldn't believe it was true. She had done it. Aelin had freed the magic in Erilea and he would soon be back by her side.

"What are you talking about?" The king looked confused at Rowan.

The door was thrown open and a man ran into the room.

"I can connect to Erilea. The magic must be back over there." The mage must be overjoyed, for he had forgotten to bow to the king. But the king didn't seem to notice.

The king was questioning the mage. Rowan had stopped listening, all he could think of was his queen, his Aelin, his everything. She was alive. Then something changed, the bound was growing weaker. She was slipping away, like sand running between his fingers, he could just hold on for so long before it was gone. She was gone.

Dead.

Rowan fell to his knees and roared. Tears was streaming down his face and all he could think of was her. He had lost her. She was gone.

He knew that people was screaming around him, someone tried to go close but he clawed after the person. He kept roaring, he wanted to scream his lungs out. He wanted to die. He wasn't walking this earth without her. He didn't know how long time passed, all knew was the pain.

Then the bound was back. She was alive.

He stopped roaring and the tears stopped streaming down his face. He just hyperventilated. Tried to get his breath back.

"What's happening? Prince Rowan answer me!" the king looked at him with wide open eyes. Apparently it wasn't every day that the king of Wendlyn saw the mighty Rowan Whitethorn on all four, crying.

"She is alive. Fireheart is alive." Rowan rose to his feet and used his arm to remove the tears from his cheeks. A wide grin was spread across his face.

It had been hours since Aelin had released the magic back in Erilea and the bound was growing stronger for every second. Rowan wanted nothing more than to leave the limestone castle behind and go and meet her. Well he wanted something more; to take her in his arms and press his lips against hers and never let her go again.

Rowan had retreated to his room after he had cried in front of the king and a bunch of royal guards. He wasn't ashamed of his tears, he just felt uneased.

Aelin's perspective

She was one with the water, the water was one with her. It flowed through her veins and she flowed through its veins. Luca would had loved traveling like this, the constant movement of the ship always made him seasick. Had. He was dead. Luca had arrived to his final destination far too soon and he hadn't been able to travel for as long as he deserved.

She reached the shore and continued to run. After running over the water the land felt dull, no movement underneath her and nothing to help her on her way. She was so slow, even in her Fae shape. The sun had sunken hours ago and she should rest. Aelin wasn't tired but she knew that she had to sleep. But she was so close to him now, just a few more hours. She climbed a tree and slept there until midnight before she continued to run.

Aelin knew that her aunt was watching her, she could feel it in her spine. It had to be the Wyrdkey that had told Aelin's parents when Maeve was watching.

Rowan's perspective

He had been summoned to the king's throne-room and so had Aedion and the captain. It was early in the morning and Rowan was fairly certain that the prince hadn't slept, but celebrated all night along with the rest of the capital.

The king was about to start to speak when a guard entered through the big doors.

"My highness, a woman claiming to be the Terrasen heir seeks audience."

The man barely finished before the double doors to the throne-room was swung open and Aelin swaggered into the room. She was wearing clothes fit for the desert. The clothes had once been sand colored but was now covered in blood. Judging by the scent of it, most of the blood was hers. There was most blood around her throat, like someone had slit her throat. As that wasn't enough, her face was nearly unrecognizable. It was swollen and like the rest of her covered in blood. Rowan felt like all the air had been punched out of him.

Still her eyes were burning with a turquoise flame and the black eye made her gaze even more penetrating than usually.

Rowan hurried over to her. He bowed to her, she might be his mate but he wouldn't undermine her authority. Her eyes met his and she took his hand and squeezed it.

 _Don't worry. I'm fine._

Rowan gently touched her swollen face. And took a deep breath before asking her, he feared the answer.

"Luca?"

"Dead." He could feel her pain through the bound.

"Who?"

"Arobynn Hamel." Only burning rage.

"And he?" Rowan couldn't decide if he wished the man dead or not. Because Rowan wanted to get his share of the man's blood.

Aelin grinned a feral grin that made Rowan happy to be on her side. "He is hunted by monsters in another realm and when the war is over, I'll take my time with him." Her grin widened but was filled with pain. "I have so much to pay him back for. Eleven years of pain, a mate and a brother. But don't worry, I'll repay him"

"Good."

Aelin let go of his hand and Rowan stepped aside and Aelin continued her stride to the king. She didn't bow to him just stared him straight in the eyes.

"Aelin, is it truly you?" The king stared at her with big eyes.

"Yes. I am Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the lost heir of Terrasen."

"Are you okay? I can call on a healer." The king looked worried at her.

"No, I don't need a healer, I need aid in a war."

Aelin's perspective

The king's worried eyes met her gaze, his eyes were so much like hers and the ring of gold woke the rage inside her. This man had let his own sisters die because he hadn't had the gut to aid them in the war. Aelin could feel the flame inside her fighting to get out.

A cooling wind caressed her face and she sent a thankful thought to Rowan.

"Eleven years ago, your aid would had been enough to save thousands of lives. But no, you turned your back on my continent and let us be slaughtered. Don't turn your back on us. Because if you do, the faith of your people will be the same as it was for mine. We are headed to a battle we might not be able to win and if we don't, Wendlyn will be next. Join us. If you don't care about the people on my continent, care about yours. Because Wendlyn is next and you know it."

"I'm sorry but I cannot help you." The king gave her a look that was filled with sorrow and begged her for forgiveness.

Aelin grinned and nodded. This man had let his sisters die, so why would he help his niece?

"I understand."

She turned around and walked, but midway to the doors she hesitated and turned around, facing the king once again.

"I don't wish the faith of my people to anyone. There is one thing you need to know. The Adarland king's forces aren't human anymore, but valg-possessed. There are two ways to kill them. The first way is decapitation and the second is fire. I would make sure to train your forces how to behead enemies in a battle. But I'm sure that Maeve has convinced you that she knows how to keep your people safe. She must have at least one fire wielder even if she hates us. Rowan?"

"No. The last Fae with fire magic disappeared twelve years ago." Aelin just shook her head before she turned around again and continued to walk to the doors.

"Be ready to leave in an hour." She had turned to Aedion and Chaol who was standing and staring at her from one of the corners of the room. Chaol was staring with wide opened eyes and Aedion hands where hard fists and she could smell the blood from the palm of his hands where he had penetrated the skin with his nails.

"We might not be able to aid you in the war. But you can stay for as long as you wish, there is no need to hurry." The king said.

"Every minute, more people die. So yes, I'm in quite a hurry. But I'm glad that I got the opportunity to meet the man my mother and aunt spoke so highly about." Aelin waved to Rowan and he joined her as she left the room.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Rowan took her in his arm and Aelin leaned into him. He kissed her softly and frowned.

"You smell like fish." He looked down at her feet and rose his eyebrows. "And you forgot your shoes. Come on, let's get you washed up."

Rowan showed her the way to his rooms. He took her hands and looked her deep in the eyes.

 _Never scare me like that again._

She couldn't hold his intense stare, so she looked down at their hands. Aelin was once again reminded of that it was Luca's blood that covered her hands. She had Luca's blood on her hands.

"He died protecting me, if it weren't for him, I would be dead now." Aelin tried to hold back her sobs but failed. "I didn't bring him die, I didn't bring him as a shield. He was the backup plan. The failsafe. I never intended…" Rowan pressed her against him again and she buried her face into his chest to mute her sobs. His familiar scent filled her nostrils and she felt like this was the first time she was able to breath.

"I know you didn't." Rowan kissed her forehead and held her as she cried. Aelin just concentrated on her breathing, soon she was breathing the same paste as Rowan. She had a strong feeling that their hearts where beating the same paste as well.

Aelin loosened herself from Rowan's grip and took a deep breath. Rowan's scent didn't hide her stank anymore and frowned as it filled her nose, "you are right, I do smell like fish."


	36. Chapter 36 The Immortal Bitch Queen

**A/N: Hey fellow booknerds, I need help. To be able to speed up the uploading process I'm searching for beta readers. What I want are people who can give me their honest opinion (all critique welcome) and give me a few hints of where the grammar has to have another check.  
Are you interested, just send me a PM.**

 **Guest – Thank you! I'm absolutely going to keep that in mind, I'm also going to pretend that I understood was** **pivotal is and that I didn't googled it.**

 **Dwiertella – My friend, hello! Sorry for keeping you waiting for 20 more days. And as always, thank you for the support.**

 **Antagonist406 – Never underestimate our Fire Breathing Bitch Queen. Never.**

 **Blac Hide – 20 days, you for the review, I'm so glad you still like the story. Let's be honest, I hadn't slept in a long time when I wrote the thing about the sea. Tired TildaL writes weird shit. So this chapter… Oh damn.**

 **Softballpulp12 – Aelin sass, it's found on the shelf between Rowaeiln- and marshmallowfluff. The best thing is, it's never out of stock.**

 **THANK YOU ALL! Your support is what keeps me going. Seriously I can't thank you enough.**

Chapter 36. The Immortal Bitch Queen

Aelin's perspective

They didn't say anything when Rowan filled the bath for Aelin or as he helped her scrub away all dried blood from her skin. Words wasn't needed. A slight smile, a raised eyebrow or a slow blink of an eye was enough.

When Rowan had grinned too smug, Aelin had given him a foam beard. She couldn't remember when she had laughed so hard last. She knew one thing for sure, Rowan didn't fit in a beard.

Aelin dressed in her tinker's construct suit and burnt her old clothes. Rowan stood a few feet away and watched her with a perplexed face.

 _What is it Buzzard?_

"How could you defeat Arobynn if he was carrying the Wyrdkey?"

"I was always his weakness. When he had me, nothing else mattered and Luca… He saved me" Aelin's words died out and she held a hand to her throat. She was back in the dessert, felt the knife penetrate her skin. No, it wasn't real. She shook her head and continued.

"I took the Wyrdkey from him before I threw him into another realm."

Rowan grabbed her and kissed her forehead and breathed in her scent.

Aelin felt the tingling sensation in her spine again. "We should go now. Maeve is waiting for us in the throne-room."

 _How do you know?_

Aelin mentioned to the Wyrdkey around her neck, Rowan nodded and took her hand and started to walk to the door. But Aelin stood put.

"I said we should go, not that we are going."

 _She will be mad._

 _That's the point._ Aelin grinned at Rowan's shocked face, but he just took a deep breath and smiled back. A warm feeling spread in Aelin chest, Rowan believed in her.

Aedion's perspective

He stopped outside the oak-door to Rowan's room and was about to knock, but the door was flung open and Aelin waved him in.

She was no longer covered in blood, but Aedion hadn't been able to get the picture of his blood-soaked cousin out of his head. He walked right up to her and growled, "don't do that again."

Aedion didn't wait for an answer, but embraced her. He breathed in her scent and his pulse slowed down to normal for the first time since she had left.

Aelin broke of the hug after a few seconds and gave him a slight smile.

"Now tell me, what did you find out about the agreement between the Fae queen and king Glaston?" She didn't what for an answer, she turned to Rowan instead. Aedion knew that they were communicating without words again. He shouldn't be jealous, still it stung.

Aelin grinned to Rowan and he shook his head. Aedion had a feeling that the old bastard had believed that Aedion just had been partying and not gathering information for the past weeks. So that's why Rowan always looked like he wanted to punch Aedion in the face whenever they met.

Aedion smirked to the grumpy Fae who still looked like he wanted to punch Aedion in the face, before Aedion answered Aelin's question.

"Maeve came to the court a few months ago. She and the king made an agreement, but the terms of the deal are secret."

Aelin looked meaningful at Aedion and he grinned back. She knew him all too well.

Aelin's perspective

Aedion had never been satisfied with only knowing a part of the truth. He had done anything to find out what was kept hidden from him. Therefor he had been Aelin's spy and information gatherer when they were children.

He told her the terms of the agreement and half an hour later, Aelin's plan had gotten a few touchups and she knew what had to be done.

Aelin walked to the throne-room with her entourage. Rowan was strategically placed on her right side and Aedion on her left. She had a strong feeling that that would bother Maeve. Aelin took a deep breath before she put on an arrogant grin and held her chin high. She was going to have a pissing contest with The Immortal Bitch Queen.

When they entered the room, the males walked a step behind her. Aelin's Fae sent could easily pick up the sweet nervousness that filled the air. The king sat on his throne and queen Maeve stood next to him. She was breathtakingly beautiful with her raven hair and dark eyes.

"I heard you decided to join us Maeve." Aelin showed no sign of obedience to the immortal queen, no titles and no respect. It was all a part of her plan. A stupid plan that just might work.

"Aelin Galathynious, I see you finally decided to show up." The queens tone was sharp and her look intense.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I had important matters to take care of," purred Aelin.

"Like where my half-breeds are." Oh, that wasn't Maeve's sharp tone she had heard before, this was.

"I wouldn't call them yours. The demi-Faes decided to join me." Aelin was out on deep waters.

Maeve stood up and walked over to Aelin, Rowan tried to step in front of Aelin to protect her, but she waved him off. _Trust me,_ she told him with a look before smirking at the immortal queen. This might be deep waters, but who had water magic? Yes, Aelin had.

"Who gave them that right?" Maeve was close now and every bone in Aelin's body told her to run.

"I did. You never cared about us half-breeds that doesn't have any special power, so I thought you wouldn't mind if I took them off your hands."

The queen whispered, "I do mind."

Aelin had to fight against her instincts now. She concentrated on her breathing for a second and felt comfort from the magic in her veins. Her name was Aelin Ashryver Galathynious and she would not be afraid. Especially not of the Fae I front of her.

Aelin's grin widened. "I'm sorry. But they have special right's in your land, that means that they are a different from your own people. And the half-breeds decided to join me, the bastard queen. Isn't that fitting?" Aelin leaned forward and whispered, "What are you going to do? Remember, your people still burn and so do you."

Maeve made a strange sound, Aelin was prepared when the queen clawed her in the face. She flinched, but didn't back away, she just whispered, "do you smell that? Ashryver blood." She held Maeve's gaze for a long second before she turned around to her uncle.

His face was pale and when he saw how the blood flowed down from the thin scratches on her face, it became even paler. He clenched his fists and his face started to turn read. He slowly rose from his throne and took a deep breath.

"What is this? How do you dare to hurt someone of my blood when you have promised to protect us?" His Ashryver eyes were locked on the immortal queen.

"That half-breed broke a treaty." Maeve's voice was like a knife and her eyes shoot lightning bolts.

Rowan voice broke through the silence and Maeve stared at him. "No, my _queen_ didn't. The special laws for the demi-Faes made her actions legal. All of Fae blood from Erilea can seek sanctuary in your fortresses and so can all of Fae blood from Wendlyn. But only seek sanctuary, they do not become a part of your society."

"Is that true queen Maeve?" It was clear that the king had to use all of his self-restraint not to scream.

After his words followed a long silence.

"Then my niece didn't break any treaty, but you did."

The whole room held its breath. The tension was so thick that you could feel it. Rowan grabbed Aelin's hand and she could feel a cold stream of air that eased the pain in her face.

"You will be their death. You will kill the half-breeds just as you kill everyone else you come close to. They will scarify their lives to save yours, a worthless scarify."

Aelin knew what Maeve was doing, still it worked – the words cut deep. Aelin could feel her power acing and wanting out. Rowan's hand was suddenly ice-cold. But she didn't care, it wasn't enough. The power wanted out, she had to let it out.

"Rowan, Aedion, step away." Her voice sounded calm, it was nothing like how she felt.

Instead of walking away, Rowan walked closer. Put his hand on her cheeks and stared in her eyes.

 _You are its master; you are in control._

His comforting scent filler her nose and she nodded slowly. He was right.

She turned to Maeve once again and smiled wider than ever.

"Fighting for what you love are always worth dying. One day, you might understand. Or maybe not. Still, thank you for the aid in the upcoming war. The demi-Faes will be a great resource."

Maeve cringed and then walked past Aelin out of the room. She stopped in the door and turned maround.

"First a flower girl and now a bastard. You really know how to pick them prince Rowan." This time it was Aelin who was holding Rowan back. She put a hand on his cheek and smiled at him. The tension around his mouth softened when he met her stare.

Aelin heard the sound of claws against limestone and turned around.

Two wolves; one black as the moonless night and one white as snow, emerged from the shadows and followed in their queen's step.

If two of The Cadre were here, then Gavriel also might be here. She turned her gaze back to Rowan. She knew he was thinking the same. Aelin looked over at Aedion who had a smug grin spread across his lips. Was she going to turn his world upside down.

 **The Immortal Bitch Queen Vs The Fire Breathing Bitch Queen.**

 **Maeve 0, Aelin 1**


	37. Chapter 37 The poisoned dagger

**No, I'm not dead. I haven't left this story. Yes, here will be more chapters, look this is one! Sorry guys but as I explained, I haven't had any time for writing these past weeks and I won't have for a bit longer. I'm absolutely not leaving this story, but my life has been taken over by school and responsibility.  
Thank you so much for the Reviews and all the support, you have no idea how much it means to me! **

**Antagonist406 – I'm glad you liked it, but yeah… This was even a longer wait… But it's here and I added some Fluff, only for you my friend, only for you. Thank you for the review and all the support throughout this story.**

 **Black Hide – You'll have to wait even longer :P Thank you for everything! XXXX**

 **Aelinisawsome – YEEES SHE IS! HAHAHA omg yeeeeeeees. Aelin would totally do that. Thank you for the review and for giving me a good laugh, it was needed!**

 **Loulouette – Review 1. (chap 6) Thank you! I know that the spelling was embarrassingly bad in the beginning and I hope that it gradually improved during the story. I'm so glad that you are enjoying reading my fanfic. You have no idea how much this mean to me.**

 **Review 2. (Chap 35) This is a fanfiction written by a weirdo, as you may have noticed… Reading the whole thing in two days… Okay… You crazy(we have something in common!). But I know what you are talking about, reading is much more fun than studying. Don't tell my teacher but I'm not working on the lifecycle analyze of a plastic bag right now… A fanclub? I don't think so. Hahahaha, I'm so glad you like my writing. Necromancy? Don't think so. But I have written some One-shots about Sam if you want to check them out.**

 **Once again, thank you!**

 **Ican'tsay – Well, I can tell you that; yes, there will be another chapter. OH LOOK, this is one!**

 **Crazygirl061952 – YAAAY! Thank you! Yes, I'm definitely going to write more chapters and I sure as hell will make the world burn. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your review was the kick in the ass I needed to start writing.**

 **I love writing, I love ToG, I love this fanfiction community and I love you guys. Don't worry, I will be back. I can't thank you enough for everything.**

Chapter 37. The poisoned dagger

Aedion's perspective

He had seen the look Rowan and Aelin had given each other, the way they had peeked at him. Something was off and he didn't like being left in the dark. But that lost all meaning when he looked at Aelin, the smug grin was wiped from his face.

Rowan's perspective

Aelin's face was still swollen nearly beyond recognition and the scratches bled slowly. Her eyes suddenly lost focus of him and they stared into the abyss. Something was wrong. Then Rowan smelled it; sour with a hint of death, the stank stung in his nostrils and he had no idea how he hadn't felt it before. Aelin's eyes rolled back and she was about to collapse, but Rowan caught her in midair and he felt how her limps relaxed when she passed out. He laid her down and his hand where shaking when he strapped off the neck-part of her suit.

"Get a healer, NOW!" roared Rowan.

She hadn't healed the wound on her throat completely and it looked much worse than it had just an hour ago. The edges had turned black and the veins around it where visible through the skin and they had a strange green color. The blade must had been poisoned and the Wyrdkey must have delayed its effect.

The bound told him that she was still there, but she felt further away for every second, he had to find an antidote, a way to get her back.

Foots sounded behind him and Rowan was shoved away. He looked as the healer examined Aelin and picked up something out of his bag. He forced Aelin's mouth open and opened a glass bottle, he was about to pour a white solution down her throat when Aelin suddenly grabbed his wrist and opened her eyes. Rowan could smell the fear and the stank of pee from the healer, apparently it wasn't everyday someone seemingly gone refused treatment.

The bound told him that she was back, but it was still week and felt like she was far away.

"No. Water," her hoarse voice was hard and full of authority. "Rowan."

He flinched when he heard his name, then he snapped into action. He created a thin layer ice on her throat and it melted when it touched her skin. He could feel Aelin gathering her magic and he opened up so she could use his power as well, but she wasn't in any need of his powers, just the ice.

Rowan hunched beside her and continued to create new ice so it could melt and she used her water magic to heal the wound. The healer came out of his shock and started to help her and the three worked in silence except for Aelin's ragged breaths. Aedion and the king was in the background. Rowan didn't know how long time passed but they came with water and his work was no longer needed, all he could do was giving Aelin power she didn't need. He had never felt so hopeless before.

Aelin's perspective

The poison was pulsating within her, filling her every vein. But so was her power and it was a battle without a certain outcome. But it took time, as she fought the battle against the poison, the healer healed her throat and stupidly enough her face. She would had protested against him wasting that power if she wasn't so concentrated on surviving. Aelin could feel Rowan in the background.

She could finally breathe without wheezing, she no longer needed to pretend like the pain wasn't there. Because it wasn't. But every inch of her was tired.

"We'll leave the day after tomorrow instead," her voice was ragged but strong. Much stronger than she felt. Firm arms wrapped around her and lifted her up. Rowan's scent covered the healers stank. She turned her head to the king and her stare met his worried gaze.

"You know you can stay…" he didn't finish the sentence; he must have realized that it was hopeless. "Will we talk terms about an alliance over breakfast tomorrow?"

Aelin nodded slightly, it was all she had energy to do.

Rowans perspective

She was completely still in his arms as he carried her through the castle. The cold air within the limestone walls eased his headache. He was worried for her, but the bound told him that she was fine, just exhausted. He closed his eyes and pressed his nosed in her hair and breathed in slowly. She was fine. A slit throat and a poisoned dagger wasn't enough to extinguish her flames.

Rowan heard the sound of claws against stone and he was ready to protect his Fireheart if needed. He turned around and pressed Aelin closer. Gavriel, or his Kitty-cat friend as Aelin called him, came towards them in his mountain cat form. A flash of light and his friend was back in his Fae shape. The male raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"She's fine."

"You have mated her." It wasn't a question and it demanded no answer but Rowan nodded anyway. "She's stupid for going against the Queen like that. But brave."

Rowan nodded again. He didn't know what Gavriel was after. Because he was one of The Cadre, not Rowan's friend. The male had been the only one Rowan trusted for hundreds of years, but he was bound to Maeve, therefor he couldn't be trusted. Not anymore. Rowan took a deep breath and sniffed in the air, it felt like the blood in his veins froze to ice. He had been right.

"The demi-Fae, the one who looks like Aelin, have you met him?" Gavriel shook his head. "But you have heard of him?" A nod. "It's her cousin, he is twenty-three and his mother did the right thing to take the knowledge of who his father was to the grave. I hope you do the same. Because the Blood oath is deeper than blood ties."

Gavriel stared at Rowan and shook his head slowly.

"You are wrong."

"See for yourself, but make sure that Maeve doesn't know. You know what she would do and Aelin wouldn't stop at anything to get her revenge." With those words he left The Cadre behind. Hoping that he would make the right decision.

Aelin started to wake up when Rowan placed her on the bed and removed her tinker's construct-suit, her eyes were half opened as he tucked her in. They looked at each other quietly for a long while before Aelin patted on the bed beside her, gesturing to him to lay down.

Rowan undressed and joined Aelin in the bed. They laid on the side and stared at each other once again, as they couldn't get enough of one another. Rowan reached out a hand and stroke Aelin's cheek.

"I know that you are the Queen, but this is one of the things you aren't allowed to do." His voice was low and he stared her deep in the eyes.

"Share bed with a male I'm not committed to?" Her eyes smiled, but Rowan made a sound that told her he wasn't entertained.

"I know Rowan; I'll make sure to check with the next person that's going to stab me or slit my throat me if he's using a poisoned blade. If he is, I'm going to tell him not to because my big scary Buzzard will rip his arms out." Aelin blinked slowly before a big grin spread across her face. Rowan shook his head and couldn't help but answer her grin.

He moved his hand from her cheek to her back and moved her closer to him, pressed his lips against hers. The kiss exposed all that had been left unsaid.

She fell asleep in his arms, her face pressed against his chest. Rowan didn't sleep that night. He didn't move his eyes from her for a single second. Aelin was here, in his arms. Alive. Safe.

Aedion's perspective

A strange scent lingered in the corridor as Aedion walked to Aelin and Rowan's room in the morning, the same scent that had bothered him ever since Maeve and her eternal slaves had come to the castle. Something about it was different, but also so familiar. The scent was newer than ever before, the source had to be close. He walked with determination and relaxed shoulders at the same time as he listened as hard as he could. His Fae hearing picked up a sound ahead of him, told him that someone was lurking in the shadow behind an archway. Aedion continued to walk like he hadn't noticed anything and when he was close to the archway, he threw himself forward and stood eye to eye with one of The Cadre, The Lion.

 **Aelin I like a rechargeable battery. She's full of power until it's all used, after recharging she fully back. But the less power that's left before recharging, the longer it will take to regain… Yepp, this is my way to be able to say that I studied technology as I should and wasn't writing fanic during my lesson… No joke…**


	38. Chapter 38 The lost son

**Louloutte – Gavriel? Yes. More action? OFC! Thank you so much for you review! I'm actually finished with all the exams now and I have finally started to get my life back, aka time to write. I hope you pass yours with flying colors! Once again, thank you!**

 **Antagonist406 – Fluff, fluff, fluff, guess what! I got you some more fluff! Of course it's a good idea, it was mine… Okay, let's be honest… I HAD A GOOD IDEA! OMG, mark this date as the day "TildaL had her first good idea ever!" Okay I wasn't today but still. Sorry for rambling, but my brain is fried!**

 **Crazygirl061952 – Today is your lucky day, I won't kill you! Come on "no pressure", are you kidding me? That's called pressure! Haha, thank you so much for all that pressure… Omg I'm scarred to upload this chapter now. What if it's not ass kickingly, mind blowingly awesome enough? FUDGE!**

 **Thank you all! Your support means the world to me and I can't thank you enough.**

Chapter 38. The lost son

Aedion's perspective

The man staring back at him had a feline appearance, with tawny eyes, golden hair and elongated canines and pointy ears that was usual for the Faes. It was no question who the man was, he was certainly Gavriel, The Lion, one of The Cadre and Maeve's eternal slave. The male stared back at Aedion with a grim facial expression. Aedion held his sword, ready to protect his Queen.

They stared at each other, opponents sizing each other up. Gavriel was well-muscled but there was no question about his flexibility, he had the same lethal grace as Rowan and Aelin, learned from years of training under cruel masters.

There was no exchange of pleasantries. Only hard looks.

"Relax cub, I'm no threat to your Queen." Gavriel's voice was monotone and emotionless but his nostrils dilated as he breathed in Aedion's scent. By now he probably knew Aedion's whole bloodline.

"Then, what are you doing here?" Aedion didn't expect an answer, but he felt obligated to ask.

"I'm protecting my Queen, just as you are protecting yours… That's the only thing I ever do." Gavriel looked away, but Rowan could see the tension around his features. Well, that was interesting. Aedion took a deep breath and the males scent bothered him once again. Something about it was far too familiar, what was it?

He didn't have time for this, with a slight nod as a goodbye Aedion started to walk away.

"Wait… Was her death painless? Your mothers. Rowan told me…"

Aedion didn't turn around. Had Gavriel known his mother? What had Rowan to do with everything?

"No, it wasn't." Aedion started to walk again, leaving the Fae behind, trying to get the picture of his dying mother out of his head.

Aelin's perspective

She never wanted to leave the soft bed and his warm embrace, never fill her nose with anything else than his scent.

The poison had left her system but she still felt sick, her head was aching and throat was sore. Rowan's nearness distracted her from the worlds' problems and she felt completed in his arms. He kissed her head and Aelin murmured to him that she wasn't leaving this bed anytime soon. Rowan started to move.

"You aren't leaving either."

"I'm not?" Rowan grinned at her and said; "Is that an order?"

"Yes." Rowan stopped trying to get out of the bed and Aelin grunted happily, Rowan's chest shook when he laughed at her.

"Then what am I going to do my bossy Queen?" His voice was soft and Aelin smiled at him.

"You are going to kiss me." Rowan groaned.

"Your demands are so hard, your highness." Then he kissed her and Aelin tangled her fingers into his hair.

Someone slammed on the door and Rowan was out of the bed and armed, ready to defend her.

"You can put on some pants, it's Aedion."

Aedion' perspective

The door was unlocked and Aedion was let in. The second the door was closed behind him, he turned to the giant shirtless Fae, with flames shooting from his eyes.

"You knew!" Rowan smelled the air and nodded. Aedion couldn't believe it was true, the old bastard had known all along and hadn't told him. Rowan took a step closer and looked down at him.

"I also know what Maeve will do if she finds out." Aedion was about to scream at Rowan when Aelin snapped.

"Be quiet, both of you!" Aedion was about to protest. But she gave him a look that told him he better listen. She sat in the bed, wearing Rowan's shirt, her hair was a mess and her eyes was tired. But at least her face had been healed.

How hadn't he seen it before? She looked so much like his mother, Aedion's heart ached. Rowan and Aelin gave each other a look.

The realization was like a stab in the back, she had known as well. Aelin nodded as she knew what he had realized and took a deep breath.

"Aedion, go and get Chaol. We are eating breakfast with the king in half an hour and if any of Maeve's men are in your way, find another way to go. I don't want you to threat any with a sword." Aelin gestured to the sword Aedion still was holding ready in his hand, she had realized what had happened. "We will discuss the matter further when I'm not being watched not fully dressed."

Aedion blinked slowly, trying to wrap his head around what she just said. It had sounded strange, Aelin rose his eyebrows and gave him a look that told him to think.

Being watched. By whom? Maeve was watching them. He gave Aelin a confused look, how did she know? She gestured to The Amulet of Orynth, the Wyrd key.

Aelin's perspective

Rowan and Aelin dressed before heading to the king's private quarter. They walked hand in hand down the limestone halls when Rowan suddenly stopped and headed to a window.

"The rebels." He pointed to a man who came running across the courtyard.

Aelin's heart dropped. If the rebels were here, that meant that so was Emrys and her news was going break him. The sound of footsteps sounded in the corridor and the King came walking surrounded by six guards.

"Queen Aelin and prince Rowan, good morning. I hope you are feeling better today." She nodded. The king had joined them by the window. "I see that we will have to wait with the breakfast."

Aelin met the man just inside one of the castle entrances. He bowed deep with sweat dripping from his forehead. Then he stared at Aelin with big eyes. She raised her eyebrows and waited for him to talk.

"Your highness, I'm coming with a message from the rebels here in Wendlyn," he stuttered. Aelin didn't know if it was her presence or the fact that Rowan stood behind her that scared the man.

"Then, tell me."

"They request you to join them, they have set up camp west of the city." Aelin nodded and dismissed the man. She sent words to Aedion to come after them and bring Chaol. Then Rowan and Aelin left.

People stopped when Aelin and Rowan rode past them. Heads turned and the daily activities where forgotten. Aelin could hear the crown whisper about the foreign queen, about her. The fact that she was riding next to prince Rowan Whitethorn was forgotten. A woman stepped forward and Aelin halted the horse. The crowd fell silent.

"My family lived over there." They woman met Aelin's gaze without any hesitation.

"I will not tell you that they are alive, because I don't know." The woman took Aelin's hand and Aelin smiled slightly to her. "But know that I will devote my life to make sure that our families will be freed."

Aedion's perspective

His own thoughts were taking over. His father was alive, was here. But he wouldn't be able to talk to the man, because Gavriel had promised his life to the evil queen. And Aelin had known who his father was all along. Aedion could understand why the old bastard had kept it a secret, but Aelin? She hadn't understood how it was for him to lose his mother as a child. But after the world went to hell, she had lost her parents too, wouldn't she give anything to get them back? Couldn't she understand that Aedion needed to know?

But did he know? Would he really care about a man he had never met before, a man he had only herd stories about? No, still he needed to know. Didn't she trust him enough?

He arrived at Chaol's room and ignored the man who stood stationed outside the door, Aedion didn't need to identify himself. The whole castle knew who he was after the past weeks. Why knock? He flung the door open and stood eye to eye with the captain. Aedion only waved to him to join walked out of the room once again. He didn't feel like small-talk.

"Where are we headed?" Chaol asked.

"Breakfast with the king. I guess you heard what happened yesterday."

"Yes." Chaol was the perfect company when Aedion didn't feel like small-talk.

A man came up to them. "Queen Aelin wishes for you to join her in the rebel camp west of the city."

Aelin's perspective

They reached the western gate and was let out. Aelin's heart was beating in an abnormal paste and her palm was sweaty. Rowan rode closer and placed a hand on her leg for a second.

 _It's not your fault._

 _It is, he would had been alive if it wasn't for me._

 _Maybe, maybe not. But I know you wouldn't be here and Luca wouldn't be able to live with that, I wouldn't be able to live without you._

It was comforting to leave the city behind. But she would soon have to tell Emrys why Luca wasn't with her. That she had killed him.

They reached the camp and Aelin was shocked by seeing the crowd. There had to be at least a thousand men and woman, females and males. Once again all heads where turned. The people started cheering when they saw her. But they soon fell silent. A way was made through the crowd and Emrys came walking to her. He gave her a bright smile but it faded when his gaze met hers. The old man shook his head.

"He wanted me to tell you that he loved you." Aelin felt numb, her word where empty and the only thing in the world was Emrys's tears. Aelin dismounted the horse and walked over to him. He embraced her and his body shook of sob. Soon he stopped crying and took her face in his hands.

"He died for what he believed in." Aelin shook her head.

"No, he scarified his life for me." Her voice sounded strange.

"That's what I said. What he believed in." Emrys embraced her once again. "I'm so glad you returned my girl."

He took a step back and fell to his knees in a deep bow. A few followed his example and a second later everyone bowed to her. Aelin shook her head. She didn't deserve their allegiant and respect. She hadn't done anything to earn it.

Aelin helped Emrys to stand, she squeezed his hand before letting it go.

"Stand up." The people did as she asked and Aelin turned around and met their gazes.

"I'm not the one to bow to. I'm not the one who deserves your gratitude and respect. I didn't free magic by myself. I didn't lead a rebel group. No, I worked and bleed alongside my people. Was a slave of Adarlan. I live today, only because of others scarifies. I'm no hero, I'm no Queen. I'm a survivor, just as you are. I wasn't the only one who suffered. The people of Terrasen wasn't the only people who lost it all. Erilea wasn't the only continent that was affected by the war. Families where separated, people died and suffered." Her voice grew higher. "But we have suffered enough, we have lost enough and we are done waiting.It's time to find our way out of misery. It's time to take back what's ours. Join me, let us show them that even after losing it all, we have everything left to give. Let us show them that they can sweep us of our feet, but we will rise again, stronger and we will stand united. For our families, friends and for the people we love and for those who no longer have anyone to fight for them. Our enemies last breath will be our name."

The crowd started cheering and Aelin rose her fist to the sky. Screaming from the top of her lungs.

"We are the people of many nations and we will be those who free Erilea. If we die, we die for our freedom." The crowd roared and Aelin did as well. It was time to stop hiding. It was time to fight.

 _My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius and I will not be afraid._


	39. Chapter 39 The alliance

**Mysteries of the future – I know I'm weird, but I still can't get over your name. It's so amazing! Thank you for still being with me, supporting this story.**

 **Antagonist206 – The end sent me into writer's block, I'm still mentally exhausted. Not to be like that, but how the hell do you pick up after an epic speech like that? Because it was freaking epic, I'm not going to lie.  
Fluff is such an amazing word and in this chapter, there will be fluff overload. Thank you for all your amazing support! **

**Natasha – Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well. Always fun to see a new name!**

 **Sabeling – You asked for an update, here you go, as a thanks for the review. Sorry it took a while but I've spent six days on this one, so it better be good. Another new name, yay. Welcome(I have no idea I you're new here)!**

 **Once again, thank you all for the support and I hope that you are still enjoying reading this! I love writing and it's still crazy knowing that people actually are reading my words and enjoying the stories I tell. So I can't thank all of you enough.**

 **I made a cookie for you guys, enjoy.**

Chapter39. The alliance

Aedion's perspective

The sight before him was breath taking, Aedion stared at it with wide opened eyes, trying to take it all in. Everyone was on their knees, bowing to Aelin who stood in the middle of the crowd.

Her facial expression was grim and her lips where pressed to a thin line as she shook her head. Then she opened her mouth and told her people to stand. He saw how she clenched her fists as he told them her story, Aedion disappeared in her words.

When she raised her voice, he was once again back, but different from before. He was no longer alone, but a part of something bigger.

It no longer mattered who his father was or who had sworn The Blood Oath. No, when he roared together with his brothers and sisters, when they let out the battle cry from the people of many nations. It was then he realized that he could do anything and that they together would change the world.

Aelin's perspective

Her throat was sore from the screaming, but it didn't matter. Not when she was surrounded by her people.

A man made his way through the crowd. He was tall, had broad shoulders and blond hair, the typical northern look of someone from Terrasen. His piercing gray stare met hers and Aelin's nose filled with his scent.

Faster than humanly possible she had moved her hand to the hilt of her sword and her face hardened once again.

"Who is it, The Lord of Suria or his brother?" the coldness in her voice didn't seem to shock him.

"Neither, I broke all my ties to the traitor." He spitted like he wanted to get rid of a bad taste. "So I'm just Ravi now, one of the leaders over the rebel movement here in Wendlyn." He bowed and Aelin removed her hand from her sword and extended it to him instead.

"Then, let's do the last preparations before we go and bring down the king." They shook hands and the crowd roared once again.

They stood in the largest tent in the camp, gathered around the large oak table in the tent's center. It's every surface had been covered by supply lists, maps and rapports from different parts of the network. Ravi where giving them a rundown of the operation and judging by Rowan's reaction, it seemed to be over expectation. He and Aedion kept Ravi busy with all of their questions but the man skillfully answered all of them.

The men had experience when it came to war, Aelin hadn't. She and Nox tried to stay out of their way. Aelin where an assassin and had slit far more throats than she had won fair fights. There were not many who would have a fair shot in a battle against her. And Nox, he was a thief, not a soldier.

Aelin and Rowan left the Rebel camp later that afternoon and they once again rode through the capital and also this time the where followed by the peoples stares.

When they reached the courtyard, they were met by the muffled sound of a dog's barking. It had to come from somewhere in the castle. Aelin's eyes searched the limestone walls and a smile spread on her lips when she saw a dog's nose pressed against one of the windows on the second floor.

Aelin dismounted and with a flash of light, she stared sprinting towards her dog. Even if she moved with her immortal speed it didn't seem fast enough and it felt like an eternity until she was able to bury her face into Fleetfoot's fur.

"Hi girl. I've missed you so much. You have been a good girl, haven't you?" Aelin talked with her soft animal-voice and she didn't care who might hear her.

"A good girl?" A low laugh. "I wouldn't call that thing a good girl, rather something like; demon possessed. She ran away four times! Who was in charge of training this one? Whoever it was, that person did a lousy job." Aelin turned her head to prince Galan who stood leaned against the wall.

"Thank you for bringing her back too me." Fleetfoot licked Aelin's fingers and Aelin's eyes was once again on the dog. "Dorian Havilliard."

"What?"

"He was the one who gave me Fleetfoot and he trained her." An unspoken question hung in the air between them. "Yes, Dorian Havilliard was a friend of mine." Aelin knew what question would come next and mentally prepared or what memories it would brig back.

"Was?" The prince tone told her that he was on his guard, waiting for how she would explain the fact that she called the enemy's son, her friend.

"He is the one possessed by a demon, not Fleetfoot. A Walg prince if my sources are correct. Dorian was a good man and would had made a good king, one I would had been proud to follow. He was nothing like his monstrous father." Aelin said all of it without any emotions, she couldn't let Galan see the mess within her.

She felt comfort from the bound and knew that Rowan could feel her pain.

"I'm sorry." Aelin was once again surprised by the prince as he showed his condolences to her as she was grieving the enemy.

"Galan, don't ever leave anything unsaid. You can never predict what the future holds."

They were quiet for a long while, both lost in their own thoughts and Fleetfoot's breaths were the only thing that broke the silence. Aelin noticed how her hands turned black from the dirt in Fleetfoot's fur.

"I'm giving this one a bath. Can you tell your father that we would love to join him for dinner tonight? We have terms of an alliance to go through."

Galan nodded, "of course."

"See you at dinner." Aelin stood and started to walk away, followed by Fleetfoot.

"Wait." She turned around and faced Galan, waiting for him to continue. "I heard what you did, that you broke the alliance between Maeve and my father. That was stupid, but brave. I opposed it from the beginning." Aelin nodded before she started walking again.

Rowan was guffawing from his place by the door, a safe distance from the bathtub.

"I think you are supposed to get the dog wet, and not the other way around." Rowan said between his laughs and Aelin answered by making a vulgar gesture to him. Then she continued to wash Fleetfoot.

The worse thing was that Rowan was right, Aelin was soaked but Fleetfoot was merely damp. Aelin took the bucket full of water from the floor. She was done trying to only use a little amount of water at the time and getting them over herself rather than the dog. So she dumped all of the water over Fleetfoot. Aelin could see how the dog was preparing to shake and threw herself down on the floor. She was not getting wet again.

Aelin started laughing when she realized that Rowan had been wrong; the door wasn't far away enough from the tub. The wide grin had vanished from Rowan's face.

"I don't think that you are supposed to get wet from watching someone wash a dog."

Rowan was even wetter than she was and it was his time to answer with a vulgar gesture.

 _Ha. Ha._

Aelin rose from the floor and petted Fleetfoot, the dog looked really happy with herself.

"You're such a good girl."

Rowan came up behind Aelin and hugged her, she shrieked when she felt his wet clothes pressed to her no longer dry back.

They washed Fleetfoot together, Rowan had given up trying to stay dry. Later he carried the dog out of the bathtub and cleaned as Aelin sat on the floor with Fleetfoot, who was in a cocoon of towels, sitting on her lap.

 **-Cookie- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

 **I did not plan to have Galan's perspective in this story. I did not plan to use this form of writing in this story. So I wrote this as a one-shot, but decided to post it here, hope you don't mind.**

Yrene's cheek is soft as I stroke it and when she smiles, it feels like my heart is going to stop. Her golden-brown eyes stare up into mine and I take in every single detail of her beautiful face, everything from her straight nose to the lines that tells her story of stress, fear, worriedness and of strength. She was the strongest person I had ever met.

It is in this moment I realize that I can't live without her. I don't care what people will say, I don't care about anything or anyone else than her.

"Marry me." There where thousands of words that could describe how much I love her and why, but they didn't come to me at the moment. Only those two simple words; Marry me.

Her eyes widen and her lips slightly separate.

"What?" She whispers.

I take her face in my hands and kiss her nose.

"I love you and I don't want to spend another day without you." My voice is thick and every single word comes from the deep of my heart.

Yrene closes her eyes and I can see how a single tear slowly falls down her cheek. What is wrong?

"I can't marry you, at least not now. I can't live like this anymore, knowing that my people suffer on the other side of the sea, knowing that I don't help those who needs me the most. Galan, I'm going to go with the rebels to Erilea." I stare at her and my hands has fallen down to my sides. She is going to leave. "Don't look at me like that Gal."

I didn't know. I had no idea.

"I love you and when the war is over and they no longer will need me, then I'll come right back to you, if you are still waiting. Then I'm going to be your wife."

I open my moth to tell her that I'll wait but she hushes me.

"Don't promise to wait for me forever. Promise to wait for me as long as you love me."

When our eyes meet, I know she realizes that as long as I love her is just as long as forever if not longer. She bites her lip and stare up into the roof, taking a deep breath.

"For now, I'm a healer and my duty is to my people. Know that every day we will be apart, will be one day closer to the day we reunite, the day when I'll be truly yours."

We don't say anything about the fact that that there's a big risk that we won't make it, that we will die. I just hold her as we kiss.

Aedion's perspective

As Aedion walked through the castle, he felt how someone was following him and he knew who. But Aedion had his orders, he would not speak to Gavriel.

He met Aelin and Rowan outside king Glaston's private quarters. They didn't notice him as first as they seemed to be deeply engaged in one of their silent conversations. Aelin laughed and Rowan grinned as he pulled her closer, kissing her softly.

For the first time ever, it wasn't jealousy that Aedion felt, but happiness.

Aelin noticed Aedion and pulled away from her mate.

"Aedion! Did you know that Ravi was a Rebel? Had you ever any contact with him?"

"No I didn't know. Otherwise I would had told you. But he seems to know what he is talking about. Don't you think Rowan?"

"Yes. I just wonder who trained him." Rowan confirmed, still holding a hand on Aelin's back.

Aelin wore a stunning dress and Rowan was dressed in a matching shirt. As if it wasn't obvious enough that they were a pair judging by how they glared at each other and moved like they were one.

They hadn't tried to hide their relationship since Aelin returned from Erilea. Aedion wondered if it might have something to do with the fact that they nearly lost each other.

They sat around the table in the king's private quarter, eating and talking about everything else than the alliance. Galan had been quiet for quite some time and Aedion had noticed the thoughtful looks Aelin had given him.

"How is Yrene?" Aelin said quietly, Aedion guessed it was so the king wouldn't hear.

"She is fine and will be joining you when you leave for Erilea." Galan didn't meet her stare.

"Yes, she told me." Aedion couldn't remember the last time Aelin had been so careful with what she said.

"Bring her back to me, please." The panic was clear in the prince's voice and everyone turned their head to him. "Promise." Galan stared at Aelin and Aedion saw how she shifted, unconfutable by the prince's intense stare.

"I can't promise Galan, we will go to war and people will die." The Ashryver eyes met in an intense battle and Aedion felt sorry for them both. "But I'll do everything in my power to bring your love back to you."

Galan nodded and Aedion was suddenly aware of the king's stare.

"Whom do you love?" Glaston asked his son.

"The healer, Yrene Towers. I have asked her to marry me." Aedion wanted nothing else than to be far away or being able to hide under the cover of The Wolf of the North, becoming the snarling prince that says whatever he like, whenever he likes and do not care about anything else than himself, alcohol and women.

"You proposed to a healer and she said no because she is going to go with the rebels to Erilea?"

"She didn't say no." Aedion could see that he wasn't the only one who wanted to be far away from here.

"And why haven't I heard about this woman before, of your love?"

"I didn't know how to tell you." Aedion took a big gulp of the wine and exchanged a look with Rowan. The male also looked like he was thinking about ways to escae the room without being impolite. Aelin on the other hand had a face, but Aedion knew that there was a storm underneath.

"By the Wyrd Galan, I want to meet the woman wonderful enough for making you blush just by the thought of her! You didn't think that I would have something against it, or did you?"

Aedion looked at the father and son and tried not to wonder about how it would feel to have a relationship like that. Tried and failed miserably.

They finished their meals and then started the discussion. Hours of argumentations and negotiations followed and the night ended with a finished alliance. Aedion watched as his cousin, the Queen of Terrasen, and his uncle, the King of Wendlyn, signed the treaty in their own blood.

Soon they would leave to take back all lives that had been taken by the evil king on the other side of the great sea.


	40. Chapter 40 The logic of courts

**(A/N) This story had me questioning my existence, literally. I just decided to take a break until I had figured out where to go with it and until my finger started to ache after writing and my mind being about to explode in a mess of gory scenes, fluffy moments and all of the different ways I think of killing my costumers at work.  
I'm sick, yeah.  
So I know where to go and I feel even more confused now. Great!  
There has also been some personal things happening and I just want you guys to know that those day's when I don't want to get up of bed, I think of all your crazy support and that someone of you will find my home and bring a mob to set my world on fire if I doesn't keep writing soon. So thx. **

**Antagonist406 – Fluff is always real! I have two possibilities;  
1\. Pretend that I noticed the similarities all along  
2\. Be honest…  
1! Yrene should be worried, hear head is at stake, literally!  
Thx for the review. You're always there, supporting my writing, it's amazing, you are amazing! I'm sorry for being lousy at updating :c**

 **Louloutte - OMG! SO MANY! AHHH! You have the record for most(!)  
I loved writing the Fleetfoot scene, it was based of my experience of washing my dog… I'm always soaked before he's damp.  
It was very interesting writing Galan's perspective, but also hard. You know we haven't gotten much information about him more than how he looks an what his people think about him.  
Dorian… Heh, kind of. I have a plan, chill, nah freak out for that guy.  
Father and son drama..? - Aedion I am your father, come over to Maeve's side. - NOOOO! Maybe :  
THX XOXO**

 **Guest – Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

 **Laurena – Here you go… I'm not late, not at all… heh**

 **Crazygirl061952 – Before answering, what does these numbers mean?! 061952…  
THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH!  
No pressure… NO PRESSURE AT ALL! Heh *eyes popping out of eye sockets*  
I'll give you every dark and twisted bloody dream you have ever had and make you cry when you realized that you had no idea what was about to hit you, that you had no idea what pure darkness is like.  
BAM! **

Chapter 40. The logic of courts

Aelin's perspective

The sun stood at its highest and burnt the land beneath. Aelin sat on a rooftop, next to one of the city's biggest plazas and looked down at the activity.

It wasn't a normal busy market day. Instead the plaza had been used to set up a recruitment area. The spots that usually where filled with stalls offering everything from fabrics in bright colors to spices and sour wine, was replaced by rings for hand to hand combat, dummies for showing of weapon skills and targets for the archers. The normal scent of exotic foods and rich perfumes, was far from the stench now covering the plaza; men and women's sweat , mixed with barf from a recruit that had overworked in the heat. This day, it wasn't vendors shouting the price of their teggya that _where the best the capital had to offer_ , but soldiers shouting out commands to the recruits and the sound of steel against steel.

It was an organized chaos and around it all, a long queue stretched once around the plaza and even further, out on to the main road of the capital.

Anyone who was old enough could sign up. Those who wanted to fight had to go through a series of tests to determine if they were ready for the front and in that case, they where sent to the rebel camp outside the city and where going to Erilea when they had scheduled to departure in a few days. If not, there was the option to go through a shorter training program and be sent later or they could help in other ways.

But everyone wasn't signing up to fight, some wanted to help as healers and other positions necessary.

The recruiting had started the day before and at first men and women who had managed to escape the slaughter in Erilea, had joined, but as the hours passed and the word spread, citizens of the capital and the surrounding areas had started to show interest and a queue had started to take form.

Aelin had been shocked to see so many wanting to join their cause, so many prepared to fight for their families or for those who couldn't fight for themselves. Still something bothered her.

She had told Rowan during the night that, what she saw when she looked down at the queue, where animals waiting for slaughter.

He had rested on his elbows and stared down at her with a sad smile, then he had let one of his rough fingers softly run down the bridge of her nose.

"Many of them will die, because that is what war is; a mess of death of pain. But they aren't animals waiting for their own death, they are standing up for themselves and others, preventing the slaughter instead." His pine-green eyes had been hard as stone when he spoke, but softened when they had been focused on Aelin once more.

Her hearth had ached and that primal part inside of her had screamed for him, made her reach out and drag him closer in a passionate kiss. Aelin had seen in his eyes that the same part of him struggled to take control and both of them had stopped fighting what they wanted.

Even hours later, just the thought of the night made Aelin grin wide. She had to do something productive, bathing in her own sweat on a roof wouldn't cut it. It was time for her to get her ass of this roof and stop reenacting bad memories of her first visit to the capital.

The building was three stories high and Aelin wasn't about to climb down, she started to run and leaped of the edge of the roof. The people in the queue gasped when she came flying above them.

Aelin landed gracefully on the plaza and she started walking, heading with determined steps towards the archers. As she walked, she changed to her mortal shape. She still felt the eyes upon her, apparently it wasn't everyday they saw a queen jump of a roof or saw a queen at all for that matter.

The archers stood underneath a long piece of fabric that served as protection from the blazing sun. The group of twenty didn't notice Aelin as she came up behind them. She studied them as they aimed and fired at command from a young soldier. She recognized him, Gale, he was one of Galan's men and had been the first one who dared to speak to her and Rowan.

He bowed to her and the archers noticed that something was going on and when they realized who she was, they also bowed. Aelin gestured for them to carry on and she noticed a different result from the first arrows she had seen them fire. Only the man who had hit bull's-eye last time, had managed to stay consistent under the pressure of her presence.

"You with white-marked arrows. Impressive, but can you only hit still targets, or moving _objects_ as well?" Aelin let her voice suggest that it wasn't object she was talking about, but enemies.

"I hit what I aim on." The man said with a deep voice.

He was at least a head taller than Aelin. His skin was dark and his light-green eyes stood in a shocking contrast to his raven black hair. He was cocky. Aelin smirked, she was going to see if he was as good as he promised.

"Show me." Aelin gestured towards the bow he still held in a firm grip, it wasn't the typical bow that where provided at the training area, it had to be his own. It was beautiful in its simplicity.

He started to ask what he should aim on, but froze. Aelin had used her power to form a man made of flames, and he came charging towards the archer. He snapped out of it and his shocked face was changed to pure concentration.

It wasn't the targets bull's-eye he hit this time, but the fire-man's eye. Aelin had made the flames solid and the arrow fell down to the ground on impact and she stopped shaping the flames to a man and let them die out in a last explosion of power. Then she made small balls of flames, some moving some still, and as soon as one of his arrows hit is target, the next arrow had already been fired towards the next target.

Around them, people whispered but Aelin was too concentrated on the man's technic to care. He was good, exhalent really. When he ran out of arrows, they stopped the game and faced each other.

"You hesitated." Aelin couldn't help but smirk and the man answered her smile, it felt like a reward, something most wasn't allowed to see.

"I wasn't prepared for walking flames."

"Are you prepared for war then? There are worse things than walking flames you know." Her words came out harder than she meant, but the man wasn't scared off.

"Yes." He didn't hesitate for a second and Aelin nodded her approval.

"Gale, send this one to the rebels, tell them I want him to train the other archers before we leave." Aelin left after saying goodbye and the correct titles had been exchanged. But she had just started to walk away as she turned around and faced Gale again.

"Are you coming with us to Erilea?"

"Yes, Galan gave us the choice to continue on with our current task or join your fight. We are thirty from Galan's troops. My family might still be alive over there and I'll fight for them if they can't fight for themselves."

Aelin didn't have the heart to tell him that they were most likely dead.

"It will be an honor to fight by you side Gale." Aelin saw the shock in the young soldier's face, he hadn't expected for her to remember his name.

Chaol's perspective

Chaol couldn't decide if he was babysitting Aedion or Aedion was babysitting him. Both of them had been ordered to go through the supply-lists, a task that not only where useless, because Rowan had done it twice, but also possible to do by either of the men by themselves.

Chaol knew that Aelin wanted to keep her cousin away from the castle and a certain Fae lurking within. He also knew that no one trusted him in Wendlyn, he was the former Captain of the Royal Guards and had been both close and loyal to the enemy for a very long time.

For now it seemed like they were stuck in the rebel camp with the supply-lists and each other.

After hours of double-checking already checked entries and calculating already perfectly calculated numbers, Aedion stiffened. Chaol was about to ask the male what was wrong but Aedion held up a hand to show Chaol to keep his mouth shut.

Aedion was still for another second before he suddenly started to run and Chaol followed him. He knew that Aedion slowed down for his sake as they ran between the rows of tents. They ended up in the center of the camp and was faced with the view of a man holding a knife to Ravi's throat.

Chaol had known that Aedion had some Fae abilities, but he had no idea that the male's hearing was so strong.

Aedion gestured to Chaol to distract the male and slipped away, back into the maze of tents.

"I would like to know what's going on." Chaol said with all the authority he didn't have.

"He's the enemy, just as you are. They are going to kill us all!" The man's eyes where wide open and he stared at the crowd that had started to gather around them.

"So the leader of the rebels are working for Adarlan?" Chaol tried to stay calm.

"And so are y…" His words where cut short and instead of words, blood came out of his mouth and Chaol knew that if he were closer, he would had heard the gurgling sound of someone drawing their last breath, just to find that they were drowning in their own blood.

Chaol watched as Aedion removed his knife from the new corpse. As their eyes met, all Chaol felt was disgust. Aedion just shrugged and started to walk away, cleaning the blood of his knife using his pants.

Chaol found Aedion an hour later.

"What the hell did you do?" Chaol had decided not to scream while having this conversation with the general , but he had already failed.

"I saved a life, maybe more." Aedion said calmly as he launched on his bed, he hadn't bothered to sit as Chaol had entered the room.

"You murdered that man!" He really should stop screaming now.

"What do you really think he would had done to Ravi? Well you are right, I murdered him; a rebel we could spare, someone who had gone crazy. But the leader of the rebels aren't someone we can spare and even if I might had been able to free Ravi and then capture and torture the man, the information wouldn't be worth the risk on Ravi's life."

There was a long silence and Chaol looked down at the prince before he shook his head and started to walk away. He didn't hear Aedion coming and was shocked as the male gripped his wrist and Chaol turned to face him once again.

"Have you decided on which side you are on?" Maybe I should had killed you too, maybe he wasn't entirely crazy." Chaol couldn't meet the prince's intense glare, he just looked away and ripped his hand out of the firm grip and started to walk away once more.

"Chaol." Aedion's voice was dangerously low. "Never look down at me again."

As Chaol left the room, he had a sour taste in his mouth, he knew that he had been allowed to leave, that Aedion could had kept him there if he wanted, that he would had no chance to get way. At least, that was what he told himself was bothering him.

Aelin's perspective

Aelin watched as two recruits fought with their preferred weapons in one of the rings. The stench so close to the fighters were nearly insufferable.

But the fight mesmerized her, she hadn't expected such high quality swordplay from the woman and neither had the man who had lost three rounds already. He had no chance with his mace. Aelin had a hard time not to laugh at the man who had insisted not to fight the woman, because he couldn't hurt a woman, he had been correct, but for a completely different reason.

She was now about to fight one of the soldiers to give her a chance to show her skills against another swordsman.

A boy, around the age of ten, tugged at Aelin's arm. He shook as like a leaf in the wind.

"I have words from the rebel camp." He stuttered the words and Aelin felt bad for him. It had come to her attention that her royalty made her scarier than when she had just been an assassin.

"Tell me." She smiled slightly and the boy seemed to calm down a bit.

"Prince Aedion Ashryver has killed a man suspected to be a spy from Adarlan. He was threatening the life of our leader Ravi." Aelin took a deep breath, Aedion was supposed to look at papers and stay out of trouble.

"Threating?" More information, she needed more information before she decided if she was going to behead Aedion or only skin him.

"He held a knife to Ravi's throat." The boy must have heard her frustration because he was stuttering again.

"You're doing great, please give me the rest of the information." The boy couldn't now how badly she wanted to punch someone in the face. He continued to talk and Aelin listened intensely, trying to get a grip of the situation.

"There was so much blood." He said at last, his eyes wide open.

"You saw it?" No, no, no. Oh no, he did. He saw the man die, Aelin could see it in his tearful eyes.

"What the hell did you do Aedion? How do look over supply-lists equal killing someone in front of the whole camp? In front of a child!" Aelin had rushed into her cousin's room and stared at him with her arms crossed, still clenching her hands into fists. Trying to ignore the flames burning at her fingertips.

After last time, she had promised herself not to punch Aedion in the face if it wasn't absolutely necessary. He had to be consciousness for the to have this conversation. She wouldn't do it, but fantasies was an entirely different thing.

"The man held a knife to Ravi's throat and Ravi is a great asset and I choose to set his life before the man threatening it. I knew that the captain couldn't be seen killing someone accusing him of being a traitor… he wouldn't had done it anyways." Aedion stood with a straight back and made a weird face when mentioning Chaol, it resembled the face she would make at the sight of fish.

"Aedion, the same goes for you. Those who have heard stories about you, have heard about the king's lackey, The Wolf of the North. Chaol might have been guarding the enemy, but you killed for him. At least that is what they believe. So the both of you involved in this mess won't look good." Aelin started to massage her temples with her fingers still on fire. "By the Wyrd, screw it! We are leaving in a few days."

"Are you certain a child saw?" Aedion looked horrified by the though, he remembered much more of _things_ from their childhood than Aelin did. Aelin nodded and took her cousin's hand. "I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"Don't be. You are right, you did what had to be done. I know how that can be." Aelin smiled slightly but Aedion didn't answer it.

"Chaol didn't seem to think so." Aelin snorted and shook her head.

"That one has something shoved up his as. He doesn't understand what it is like to have to make the hard choices. He still believes that if you close your eyes and wish hard enough, all of your problems will go away."

"I know, but someone should help him. Having something shoved so far up his as must be uncomfortable, maybe that's why he makes that face all the time." Aelin breathed slowly and tried not to laugh at her cousins comment, tried not to continue the discussion.

Aedion seemed to have just as hard time no to laugh, but they both failed at once. The cousins continued to joke about what might be up Chaol's ass and his dignity and a candelabrum was on that list, together with too many other things. Aelin laughed so hard that she cried and Aelin was rolling around on the floor, either laughing o dying a very painful death.

Aelin ate a very late lunch together with Aedion and Chaol later, which were nearly insufferable. Both of the men had decided not to talk to each other and Aelin once more felt like punching someone in the face.

"Do we have to keep babysitting each other or can you give me a useful task?" Chaol said. He had given her a debrief od the supply-situation and Aelin had stopped listening a few minutes before, Rowan had already told her everything once.

Aelin was shocked at his statement at first but only shook her head. "Was it so obvious?"

Chaol nodded and Aelin shrugged. There was no point in sending them back to the rebel camp, they seemed to draw attention wherever they went.

"Train or hide in your rooms, just keep out of the way for now. Both of you."

Rowan was waiting for Aelin when she returned to the plaza. He had flown to the docks early in the morning after they had been finished with each other. She had gotten sensations sent through the bound all day, suggesting that he was still thinking about the night, she had a feeling she sent of the same signals to him. As if that hadn't been enough for her to understand, the hungry look he gave her had been more than plenty.

It hadn't been their first time, but normally she was able to ignore the longing, but it had been stronger this time. The flames of passion wasn't calmed by time, but built up to raise higher.

She blushed and Rowan kissed her quickly before bowing.

"My queen." _Fireheart_

Together they walked over the plaza, inspecting the different group of recruits. Aelin was still surprised to see so many women among them. As they walked, Aelin told Rowan about the day's event. He had laughed when she had told him about her and Aedion's conversation, had even helped her to add a few objects to their list.

He told her about the ships' state and what he had found out during the trip. Rowan also told her about the power, how he had been able to fly all the way from the coast to the capital in just hours and making the trip twice.

A man from the line had dared to address Aelin and suddenly everyone around them was quiet, listening intensely. Aelin glanced at Rowan, with panic glowing in her eyes, but she knew only Rowan could read it.

 _What do they want?_

 _Another speech like that in the rebel camp. Make them want to die for you and our cause._

 _How?_

 _Be yourself._

Aelin looked around her and took a breath.

"We fell. We were alone and we fell and the enemy pressed us harder into the ground, some as far as their grave. Alone, we didn't stand a chance." Aelin felt the eyes upon her, heard the gasps and someone whispering. Everyone at the plaza was listening now. She could feel Rowan using his magic to spread her words with the wind.

"Neither did our families and most of us couldn't do anything else than to watch. But we are done watching. It's time to raise from the ashes of our fallen brothers and sisters. It's time to finally answer the cries for help. Together we will stand. Together we will fight. It's time to show our enemies what real fear feels like." People screamed, cheered and some cried, Aelin rose her fist to the sky and screamed.

"We are the people of many nations and we will be those who free Erilea. If we die, we die for our freedom."

"For our freedom." The crowd answered.

 _Assassin, more like; speechwriter. What was that panic about? Absolutely unnecessary._

Aelin answered her mate with a wide grin.

Chaol's perspective

What was up his ass, really? He knew that the cousins could be childish, but seriously? Chaol had been on his way to apologize, only to overhear them trying to figure out if a candelabrum was long enough to have been shoved deep enough up his ass to give someone a permanent facial expression like his.

They could at least have shut the door.

He was not going to apologize, he wasn't even going to speak to Aedion. That pulp wasn't worth the attention.

He was still bowling with rage hours later he had overheard the conversation.

Aelin's perspective

The following days passed in a haste. There was all sorts of arrangements that had to be made, meetings to hold and it was important not to forget about all the parties to attend. Because that was court-logic; people are going to war, let's use that as a reason to dance and get drunk! Oh many are going to die? Let's have multiple parties then! One drink for each soon-to-be-corpse!"

Rowan had been her island in an overwhelming sea and she knew she had been his. A part of Aelin was relieved when the day for departure came.

She sat on the floor for an hour, snuggling with Fleetfoot and cried. She had many reasons to cry, but the truth was she did it because she might not be able to later.

Fleetfoot licked Aelin's tears of her face and wined when her soft sobs was replaced with ugly-crying. Aelin had accepted that she most likely would die during the war, but she couldn't accept that this might be the last time she met her companion. She listened to Fleetfoot's heartbeat and tried to breath at the same paste as the dog. Judging by how fast a dog breath, it should had been an easy task, but Aelin still found it hard to control her breathing between the sobs.

The door was carefully opened and Rowan came walking towards them. He dragged Aelin to her feet and pressed her against his chest. He patted on Aelin's hip and Fleetfoot jumped up and they stood quiet for a while.

"We are late, huh?" Her voice was thick from all the emotions.

"Very." Rowan was giving her time they didn't have. It was time to leave.

She kissed Fleetfoot one last time "I love you." The tears was close again but she shook her head, Aelin left Fleetfoot knowing that Galan would take good care of her and if Aelin survived the war, nothing would stop her from returning to her gem.

It was a sunny day, no clouds for as far eyes could reach. Happy music and a stronger scent of food then ever before was carried by the wind, hinting about the upcoming celebration. People had gathered along the sidewalks and all the houses along the main street had been decorated to honor the brave men and women going off to war.

As soon as they saw the royal company, people started cheering and Aelin waved from where she rode between Rowan and Aedion. They was accompanied by king Glaston and prince Galan, their private guards as well as Chaol and Nox. The rest of those leaving for Erilea was already outside the city gates and judging by all the flowers on the ground, teared up people on the sidewalks and the cheering Aelin had heard earlier, they hadn't gone unnoticed.

It was a day of happiness, it was finally time to strike back against those who had taken so much. But it was also a day of grieve and tearful goodbyes. Those who stayed behind would cry for their lost family members and cry once more when they didn't return or cry if they did. But tonight they were going to use court-logic; let's dance and drink, people are going to die.

The company stopped at every big plaza and Aelin spoke. It always ended with her uncle taking her hand and they raising their intertwined hands to the sky. Screaming with their people.

Galan became more uncomfortable for every time and Aelin had no idea how hard it had to be for him, knowing his love would go out In war and having to stay behind. But however hard it was now, the waiting would be even harder, she knew that from experience. Not knowing if the person would return and that feeling of uselessness as others fought your battle.

"I should come with you." Galan must had noticed her stare.

"No, you shouldn't. If I fall, the people will need another fighting heir to be able to pick up the torch and continue the war. We can't both die at the same time. That would be ridiculous. Plus, you are watching Fleetfoot until I return." _If…_

"Then I should go first. I know more about war tactics." He sounded like someone who knowingly fought a lost fight, just to be able to tell himself that at least he fought.

"Fire, lots of it. I win. I will go first." He laughed in surprise and Aelin grinned widely. "They don't call me Fire-breathing bitch-queen for nothing."

 **This chapter was for everyone who hates Chaol, I absolutely didn't write "101 things that might be showed up Chaol's ass"…. Meaning I totally have, anyone interested?**

 **Thx again, I'm going to sleep now. I'm tired now. Promised not to sleep until posting this… Been awake for 20 hours now…**

 **Goodnight, I hope I dream sweet innocent dreams of Chaol screaming in eternal pain and may you guys do so too**


	41. Chapter 41 The silent game

**You asked for it…** **101 things that might be showed up Chaol's ass.**

 **1\. A lamp post**

 **2\. A candelabrum**

 **3\. The Eiffel tower**

 **4\. Bottle of shampoo, one of those big containers that hairdressers use**

 **5\. A Windmill**

 **6\. Nehemiah's staff - I HOPE!**

 **7\. A tree**

 **8\. A llama – You know that long neck, hairy… OMG I'll never be able to look at my neighbor's llamas the same way again... Yes, my neighbors owns llamas**

 **9\. The Tower of Null**

 **10\. The clock tower**

 **11\. The** _ **whatever the last tower is called**_

 **12\. His dignity**

 **key to his heart**

 **14\. One of Prince Hollin's toys – Just imagine him about to take a dump and realize that he's sitting on a toy and… Don't imagine that. I want to get rid of that mental picture.**

 **15\. A mace**

 **16\. A sword**

 **17\. A katana**

 **18\. A throwing star**

 **19\. His "Most loyal" trophy from the king**

 **20\. A golf club**

 **21\. A dic(k)tionary – Oh he already speaks perfect dickish? Yeah you are probably right**

 **22\. An oar**

 **23\. A mast**

 **24\. An eel**

 **25\. A long hair – You long haired people know the pain!**

 **26\. A Christmas tree - The pointy star on top and all the pine needles, ouch!**

 **27\. The line to the ladies' bathroom – First thing that came to my mind when I thought about long things.**

 **28\. Bigfoot's foot**

 **29\. My foot**

 **30\. Your foot**

 **31\. All of our feet's**

 **32\. A PICKAXE – Aelin show us the skills you learned in Endovier! You said it yourself!**

 **33\. A crowbar**

 **34\. A crampon**

 **35\. A bayonet**

 **36\. A few pairs of scissors**

 **37\. A chandelier**

 **38\. A bag of crisps**

 **39\. A sofa**

 **40\. A vase**

 **41\. The same vase but shattered**

 **42\. Once again the same vase but it was removed and put into position once again**

 **43\. A fearsome grizzly bear**

 **44\. BEES!**

 **45\. A 6-meter-long HDMI cord**

 **46\. A spiral staircase – Just imagine showing it in, no don't… That mental image…**

 **47\. A bookcase filled with dic(k)tionaries**

 **48\. Nehemiea's bones – Am I going too far? Hell no!**

 **49\. A steering wheel**

 **50\. An umbrella – Unfolded after inserted**

 **51\. Newspaper – Cuz he needs to get the news, Aelin doesn't love him anymore**

 **52\. Various furniture**

 **53\. A flagpole**

 **54\. A curtain rod**

 **55\. A painting of kittens –Why kittens? I don't know!**

 **56\. Some bobby pins – Aelin: "Where the heck did my bobby-pins go"**

 **Aedion: "Sorry, but that bastard deserved it.**

 **Aelin: "Go and pick them out!"**

 **Aedion: "Please don't…"**

 **Aelin: "As your queen I order you to go and pick my bobby-pins out of Chaol's ass and burn them."**

 **57\. A screwdriver**

 **58\. A lit torch**

 **59\. An antenna**

 **60\. A pair of glasses**

 **61\. Shoelaces**

 **62\. A log**

 **63\. A big log**

 **64\. A very big log**

 **65\. A very, very big rug – You thought I would say log!**

 **heel on a pair of stilettos**

 **67\. A wale**

 **68\. All the things cats drag in**

 **69\. Fairy-lights**

 **70\. Fire hose**

 **71\. A steeple**

 **72\. A guitar hero guitar**

 **73\. A blue whale**

 **74\. Mayo – Cuz why not?**

 **75\. A door**

 **76\. Foam**

 **77\. A badger**

 **78\. Your mum – Hey we can't make a list without your mum being on it…**

 **79\. Kale**

 **80\. A Bowling ball**

 **tock BOOM(Bomb)**

 **82\. A wineglass**

 **83\. A wineglass with a cracked edge**

 **84\. A fork**

 **85\. A firetrap – My friend told me to add it, so yeah.**

 **86\. A fire engine – Let's go along this line...**

 **87\. A lighter**

 **88\. Aelin's powers – No I didn't mean it like that. DON'T MISREAD THIS, YOU DIRTY!**

 **89\. A sorry note to whoever might be the next one up Chaol's ass**

 **90\. A beam**

 **91\. A pillar**

 **92\. A bridge**

 **93\. A fencepost**

 **94\. Peanuts**

 **ben**

 **96\. The statue of Liberty**

 **97\. The Space Needle**

 **98\. A lighthouse**

 **99\. The Leaning Tower of Pisa**

 **100\. A table-leg – Curtesy of Rowan**

 **101\. The three-legged table – Sometimes I think he has anger issues… Said the girl who wrote this list…**

 **Black Hide – At least I didn't send her to the war… Still feel like a jerk. I should ignore all war and let Aelin take Fleetfoot to the puppy-realm. Cuz that exist.**

 **Abc123drm – He did deserve it! And as you asked for; the list. Thank you soo much for your review(L)**

 **Antagonist406 – Talking about shoving things up people's ass = adorable? Have I told you how much I love your logic? Well, I do love it and I am dying from laughter. Thanks!**

 **Fandomsareforever15 – Here comes another one, just a little later! Hope I'll blow your mind today. Mowhaha..**

 **Diana Black 12 – List; check. Update soon; …**

 **Crazygirl061952 – So I would had written a mind blowing chapter if I hadn't been spending all my days and night trying to figure out what the numbers mean. But I got it! It's the RBG colour #061952 composed by 2,4% red, 9.8% green and 32.2% blue, described as; Very blue. So a blue crazy girl, are you an avatar?  
This is what my brain does under pressure, if I would be defusing a bomb, my brain be like; oh look flashing red numbers! How many times can I say chocolate between every flash?**

 **Loulouette – This chapter isn't a pure-bred awesomeness, rather a mix of 25% obsession over what to showe up Chaol's ass, 25% asskicking, 25% awesomeness and 25% awesomeness. Hope that's okay.  
I did write the list, as you might have read above. I wrote it three times because computers like messing with me.  
It isn't the reviews that got me off my game, I love every single one of your reviews, even those who aren't positive. They mean that someone cares enough to help me evolve. But let's be honest, positive things are nice to hear.  
Thank you for once again caring enough!  
Manon? Can't tell you yet…**

 **TOGTOGTOGTOG – HAHAHA, THX! I FEEL OBLIGATED TO WRITE IN CAPS LOCK AND I'M KIND OF STARTING TO LOVE IT NOW! HAVE YOU CAUGHT UP ON ALL THE SASS YET? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH SO THX, THX, THX. YOU MADE MY DAY!**

Chapter 41. The silent game

Rowan's perspective

The scent of saltwater filled his nose and the cold breeze was soothing against Rowan's sweaty face. He had been using his powers for hours and was starving. He stood on the deck of the ship in the front of the formation and leaned against the reeling, watching his mate. It was like she was one with the ocean as she ran across the sea and lead the waves carrying them. Through their bound, Rowan could feel the enormous amounts of power she was using. He could also feel her exhaustion, she should had slept hours ago, but it was pointless for him even to try to get her back to the ship and into bed. She would carry them until she was close to burnout and then she would train with the soldiers for a few hours before she would rest. No, his mate would be awake for many hours to come.

Aelin must had felt his gaze as her she turned her head and looked at him.

 _I'm fine Buzzard_

 _I know, but why not be good?_

She didn't bother to respond; she was certain he already knew.

 _I love you Fireheart_

 _I love you too_

Rowan took a deep breath before starting to walk to the kitchen below deck. Just minutes later he was back again, filling the sails with his wind. With united powers the Carranams carried their army towards what for many would be death.

Hours later, just before sundown, Rowan had to lead Aelin to their cabin. As soon as they came out of sight, he picked her up without her coming with any protests.

Aelin had, just as Rowan expected, returned from the water, just to start training with the special forces; the men who was specially trained for fighting Valgs. She had created shapes of flames that the men had to behead at the same time as they fought them.

When Rowan finally got her to go back to their room, it was an hour after dawn and as soon as they came out of sight he picked her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way.

She was already asleep when he put her down on the bed and removed her clothes and shoes, but woke as he joined her underneath the sheets and kissed him goodnight before drifting back into a deep slumber. One she wouldn't be able to wake from for hours.

Chaol's perspective

The fool was a childish princeling and Chaol would not give a damn about what he had to say, he wouldn't speak to him either. But it was hard ignoring the man you lived in such close quarters with, the man you trained your soldiers with. At least the general made it easier; he didn't recognize Chaol's existence as long as they were alone, he stayed away from their cabin and spent every free hour with his men, most of the time with a bottle in his hand.

Chaol and Aedion had been given a troop each and they had been stationed at the same ship. In a week they would have to leave the rest of the ships and sail west to. Their ship was the smallest and therefor the best fit for their mission, but that also meant they had to share cabin. So the men put up a front of getting along, for the sake of the morale on the ship, but it was nothing more than a front.

Even before he entered the dining hall, Chaol could hear the general's laughter. He tried not to care as he walked past the prince on his way to the tables where his own men dined. The men saluted him but rested as Chaol waved them off, he joined their conversation and for a few minutes he managed to forget all about the childish fool a few tables away.

That was until the hall was filled with a drinking song and a certain voice stood out.

"Is anything wrong sir?" Asked Gale, who had been assigned to Chaol's troop.

Chaol hadn't even noticed when he had raised to his feet. But knew he had to get out of the close space.

"No, I just need some air."

He left the room behind, escaping the loud song, but couldn't escape the voice in his head.

 _Have you decided what side you are on? Maybe I should kill you too, maybe he wasn't entirely crazy._

Chaol walked across the deck and as he stood by the reeling, watching the black deeps pass by underneath him, he let the world fall away around him. How had he gotten here? If anyone had told him when he left Arnelle that his life would take such a drastic turn, he might have stayed. Hesitating he realized that he wouldn't. When he left, he had been sure he did the right thing and he still believed it. He was no lord, but neither was his brother who now was stuck with the burden of being the heir of the title.

What was his brother doing? Terrin was just a kid and Chaol hoped he would stay far away from any battle. But now that Terrin was the only heir, there was no risk that their father would send him to the front when hell broke loose.

When he couldn't stand still any longer, Chaol started to walk back and forth along the railing, happy that only he and the mate was above deck. After a while he noticed how the ship had begun to slow down. It was windy and there was no reason for the sails to hung flat.

When he walked towards the mate's position for the third time he noticed that the man's head hung against his chest, no living man looked like that. Well, only if he was drunk enough to fall sleep standing. Walking up the stairs to the man, Chaol had no idea what to expect. He held his sword in one hand and used the darkness of the moonless night to move unnoticed, just in case. But he hadn't expected to find the first mate dead, his throat had been sliced from behind.

Either they were under attack, or one of their men were working for the enemy. There was a clock used for warning the crew if there was any trouble. But a scream cut through the night air and Chaol knew that the warning wouldn't be of any use, it was already too late.

Suddenly he heard steps behind him and a black figure emerged from the darkness. It took him a few seconds to realize it was Aedion. The male had his sword ready.

"What did you do?" To Chaol's surprise, the prince sounded more hurt then angry.

"Nothing." Chaol sheathed his blade and looked Aedion in the eyes for the first time since they had left Wendlyn.

"Then why the hell are you up here when everyone else is captured in the hall?"

"I needed some air, your excuse?"

"Damn you, we don't have time for this. Do you know how many they are?"

"No."

"Seems like we are about to walk blind into a battle." The grin on his face was truly that of a fool.

"Can't we get help?"

"No. Scared to get blood on your hands?"

Chaol didn't bother to answer or recognize the accusation in the words and he did his best to ignore the prince's smug grin. Did his best to ignore the fact that the words were true, he didn't want to get blood on his hands, he had never wanted to kill.

They made their way to the stairs leading down into the inwards of the ship and further on to the dining halls where Aedion was sure the rest of the men were captured. His enhanced hearing made it possible for him to pick up fragments of what was said. With only the element of surprise to their advantage and just seconds until the executions would start according to him, they were running out of time. With most of their men either drunk or unarmed they wouldn't be able to put up a fight, it would be a bloodbath.

They got all the way to the corridor outside the dining hall unnoticed. Chaol could count three men guarding the exit. He couldn't hear any screams of pain, instead he heard a man's voice.

"–orders are to let anyone who joins us live."

"Go to hell." It was Gale who spoke. "It's our time to stand, we are the people of many-" His words ended in the guttural sound of someone whose air supply had been cut off.

Chaol couldn't wait any longer and when he met the gaze of the general, he saw the fire he knew was burning in his own eyes. It was their men who were stuck in the other room.

"Trust me." Chaol mouthed, leaving his sword on the floor and stared walking towards the guards. They had to know how many they were up against, had to get an overview of the situation.

His hearth should be raising, but he was dead calm. If he died, it would be for the people he believed in, because he did believe in his soldiers and their chance to make a change. And he believed in the shocked general he left behind.

He didn't fight as he was grabbed by one of the guards and dragged into the room. The scene that met him wasn't what he had expected.

Their men had been forced to centre of the room and they had been surrounded by ten enemies, but neither seemed to be possessed, and in front of them all stood a mountain of a man, who held one hand around Gale's throat, strangling him. It had to be the man who spoke earlier.

But Gale was forgotten when the man realized who Chaol was and the rebel fell to the floor, gasping after air.

"Oh, look at this. Isn't this the traitor walking straight into our arms?" His laugh felt as it belonged in another realm and the collar around his neck told Chaol whatever was inside the man did.

"One Valg-prince and ten normal soldiers. That's all you got?" Chaol didn't mention that it might be enough.

He was answered by a fist shoved into his guts and was surprised how much it hurt. The next punch came just a second later and then another one. He had to blink to keep the tears away.

"Tell me _captain_ , why send more men when they aren't needed to beat you and your pathetic lot of men?"

When Chaol met his gaze, he was no longer on the ship, but in the throne room in the glass castle, watching Dorian get captured once more. Over and over again, he saw his best friend going through the worse seconds in his life. Chaol didn't notice he was screaming until he felt the pain in his sore throat. This time he looked past Dorian and saw Aedion and it felt as he saw him for the first time.

"You will never be able to beat us." Chaol smiled now, he knew it was true.

Aedion had killed both guards by the door while everyone else in the room was distracted by the beating. Now he was just steps away, with a wicked grin on his face.

Chaol spitted blood in the face of the Valgand bought them enough time for Aedion to throw Chaol's blade over the floorboards and for Chaol to get out of his human captor's grip and get his sword.

The possessed had turned around in the blink of an eye and was now fighting Aedion and the rest of the room had been filled by fighting as well as their men started to fight back. Chaol could see that Aedion was struggling, but he was too distracted by fighting his own enemy without hurting him, to be able to help his friend. There was a decision to be made, either he continued to fight the man until he could knock him out, letting his unarmed men die, letting Aedion die. Or he killed the soldier, killed one man so he could save his people. That moment Chaol realized that there had never been a decision to be made.

He killed the soldier, not letting himself think either about the pain in his chest or the fact that now the blood of two men covered his hands. Instead he turned and saw how Aedion was in over his head. Chaol roared and threw himself at the valg, and was enough of a distraction for Aedion to get in the killing blow and separating the head from his enemy's shoulders.

"Give up and your pathetic lives will be spared." Aedion's voice filled the room. But the enemies did not stop fighting and Chaol could see in his eyes when Aedion made his decision and Chaol wouldn't let him do all the dirty work this time. Together they killed all of the soldiers who were left except two who at last gave up.

Six of their men had been killed during the battle and two more died shortly after from their injuries. Many more had been wounded and the spirit was low in the dining hall.

Aedion walked over to the closest table and jumped up on it, he gestured for Chaol to join and he did.

"Get me a bottle."

A soldier did as the general had said, when Aedion got it, he smashed it against the wall and everyone in the room fell silent.

"We won. Our enemy attacked us, but we are still standing. So this battle, we won. But we lost something too, our friends." Chaol saw something glimmering in Aedion's hand and reacted too late. "Cole," Aedion cut his arm, using a shard of the broken bottle. "Frans" He did it again. Chaol took the shard and did what Aedion just had.

"Lara." She had been one of his, hell of a fighter too. The pain was nothing compared to the loss of a good soldier, a friend. "Hammer."

Aeion took back the shart. "Quinn." He gave it back and Chaol took a deep breath.

"Gale." The young man he had spoken to two hours ago was now gone, only empty room and a thin line in Chaol's flesh was left.

"What the hell is it with all these stern faces. Our dead wouldn't want to see us like this, our lost friends wouldn't want to be the pain in our asses." Chaol couldn't believe what the bastard just had said, he was going to skin him alive… It seemed like he had spent too much time with the cousins. "Let us drink for the lost and celebrate that we might soon join them and when we do, we do so knowing we took our enemies with us. When I die, if my ghost smells any breath free from alcohol other than the guards, I will haunt that person forever."

The room was now filled with laughter and people nodding.

For the first time during the journey, the men were in their cabin at the same time without any of them leaving.

"Take your shirt off." Aedion ordered and Chaol did as he was told.

He tried not to think about the pain as Aedion examined his chest, tried not to think about how every breath hurt, tried to ignore how close the other man was.

"I understand now." He said, trying to distract himself.

"What are you rambling about?" Aedion asked.

"You did it for your people, for those you care about. You only kill you enemies so they can't kill your people." Chaol looked away as he said it, but every word was true. "But that doesn't mean that you aren't a jerk. What's shoved up my ass, really?" He hated the sound of his wining voice.

Aedion laughed. "Seems like someone has listened to words that weren't meant for his ears. But yeah, jerk seems fitting. But not the fact that the word came from your mouth. How can you have worked for a man who have killed and tortured so many and still believe you are so much better?"

"I don't –" Chaol started, but Aedion wasn't finished.

"You say you understand, but do you really?" Aedion had pressed him against the wall and he was staring at Chaol with a desperate look. Chaol's breaths was shallow and it felt as the air between them was vibrating.

"I did it for you." Aedion said and both of them froze, staring at each other.

Chaol took a deep shaking breath before he grabbed The Wolf's shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Both of them had forgot the fact that one of them had three broken ribs and the other one a glorious black eye. Soon Chaol wasn't the only one shirtless and when they landed on the bunk, Aedion made sure to be on top.

"I told you to never look down at me again." He purred and he used his lips silence Chaol who tried to call him a jerk.

Rowan's perspective

They woke hours later, long after dawn to shocking news; one of the ships were missing. While Aelin gathered the power she needed to get out of bed. Rowan flew until he found the last ship and was given a rapport after he landed.

He found his way to cabin he knew Chaol and Aedion shared, too stressed to think about the scent that filled the air.

"You don't need to knock the door down you know." Aedion said from his position in the doorway, only a sheet governing him waste down. Rowan tried to hide his shock, but the general just laughed.

Rowan took a second to process what his nose told him and that was exactly what his sight had said.

"Come on, you and Aelin can't be the only ones who can let out some steam." The general winked at him, using the eye that wasn't black and swollen, Rowan just shook his head.

The bound told him that Aelin was close now. And then he heard her footsteps in the corridor as she came running. But she skidded to a stop when she saw her cousin.

"Seriously?" Aelin's expression went from shock to disgust to what seemed to be joy and she burst into laughter. Suddenly the captain appeared in the doorway behind Aedion, he had at least had the courtesy to put on some pants.

"Aedion, it seems like you tried to get that thing out his ass." Chaol was blushing and Aedion laughed with his cousin.

"I tried. Only time will tell if it worked." The cousins laughed even harder, while Rowan and Chaol just tried not to look at each other.

"I thought you two didn't talk." Rowan said, trying his best to make the situation better.

"Rowan, you don't need to talk to do what we did." Aedion smirked as he said it and Aelin grabbed Rowan's wrist. He did not protest as she dragged him with her, still laughing her lounges out.

 **Did you see THAT coming?**

 **WTF? It's my one-year anniversary on this site today. Didn't even notice until now. Shit, my life looked so much different back then!  
Thank you so much, for everything. **


	42. Chapter 42 The greatest gesture

**Antagonist406 – Holy gobshite is my new spirit animal, just saying. College? That sounds like fun… Guess I'm not the only one who is anti-school right now. My craving for Rowaelin fluff the last couple of days is the only reason this chapter exists instead of a presentation and two essays due Monday. Heh. Last chapter… I had been waiting to drop that bomb for months! And that joke thou, nope I'm not an innocent child and I have totally laughed at it hounded times. Am I the only person alive that isn't on tumblr? BTW I HAVE MISS YOU TOO!**

 **Guest – YES**

 **Guest – ROWAELIN FOR LIFE!**

Chapter 42. The greatest gesture of them all

Aelin's perspective

"I can't decide if I should be offended your cousin and the captain could get you to smile when I couldn't, or just be disgusted." They looked over the open sea, watching the sunrise.

"What is there to be disgusted about? There is nothing wrong with two men –"

Rowan cut her off. "No! I might be old, but I'm not conservative." His hands traced her curves and Aelin chuckled, aware that there were some traditions he didn't stick to. When he nibbled her ear, she almost forgot what she was about to ask him.

"Then what, oh you open-minded old buzzard, disgust you?"

She felt his inner battle through the bound, whatever he was about to say, she would certainly be able to use against him. A smug grin spread across her lips even before he opened his mouth.

"When I scented them, I pictured…" Aelin turned around, staring at the redness creeping over her mate's face. "Mental images, not good." He spitted out the last words.

"Come on, I've been with Chaol and my cousin, my cousin is a part of this… image." She shrieked. Judging by the face Rowan made, the image was probably edged into the insides of his eyelids and it would stay there for a very long time. But she knew how to make it even worse, and there was no question if she would do it.

"You might be open-minded, but I'm not to that extent." Aelin laughed as he gawked, his face was redder than she had been after spending weeks on a rooftop in the blazing Wendlyn sun, drinking wine.

"Please, stop." He growled. "I never want to imagine you and Chaol doing… Gahh, never again."

"I'm not making you... But have I told you about the time we did it on his desk?" Rowan growled again, massaging his temples.

Aelin looked back at the horizon with a smug grin still glued on her face, she stood still until Rowan's hands once more started to explore her body

"A desk? I can think of so many better places." He purred into her ear, his hand resting on her inner thigh. Aelin held back a gasp as his fingers started to trace body's response to his was so intense she had to hold back her feral side.

 _My time to play._ His eyes screamed as she looked up at him.

Knowing his body covered hers from any unwanted attention, Aelin grabbed the hand still caressing her thigh, moving it further up. Rowan swore as he stiffened.

 _You wanted to play._

Aelin laughed as her mate walked past her and dove head first into the cold water (please Rowan stop making JB references...It's kind of disturbing). When he got out minutes later, he tried to walk past her without meeting her glare. Aelin grabbed his arm and shot him dirty glance.

"Not now." He growled.

"Or else?" His stare told her exactly what would happen, it took all her self-control not to let her eyes wander over the soaking fabric clinging to his muscular body and keeping her hand on his arm.

The navigator of the ship cleared his throat behind them, luckily as Aelin didn't know what they might have done.

Aelin and Rowan walked hand in hand over the deck of Aedion's and Chaol's ship.

"Why aren't there any smug grin on your face? Everything is going according to plan."

"That's what's wrong! I don't like having a plan, I'm more a; know the facts and come up with the details as I go. When I do, I'm perfect for making it through, but now…"

 _You are always perfect_

"Say that out loud." She grinned at her mate, the smile in his eyes told her he had accomplished his goal.

"No. I can't handle any more of your smugness today."

"You can't handle more of your own horn –" His hand covered her mouth, trying to keep her quiet, but not even the big and scary Rowan Whithorn could succeed. "-yness."

As they entered the belly of the ship, word was sent after the others. Rowan refused to go, saying he rather take another swim than finding them again.

The cargo space where most of the crew and soldiers slept where cleared out as they entered, the men hurried above deck to give them space. Normally she would had chosen another room, but she was too distracted to care.

Aelin leaned against Rowan who wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you know what I want to do?" She grinned as he froze.

"I have my guesses, but as I said; I do not want to take another swim."

"It's my period, what is your excuse?"

"Do you really have to ask? Your scent..." Aelin laughed as she understood the scent of her period was enough to make him just as aroused as it made her.

"Do you know what? I would kill for hazelnut truffles right now. No, I want to lay in bed, our bed, while you are feeding me them. I want a bed Rowan, one that is ours and doesn't move with every damned wave." He might get the fun effects just sniffing her period blood, but she had to live with the motion sickness.

"That is something I can't make happen right now."

"I know, but there is another thing I want that you can give me." Rowan silenced her by crushing his lips against hers.

Chaol's perspective

Chaol had been wrong, it wasn't Aedion who was a fool, but he was. He had believed the prince meant it, he had believed that there was something between them. But no, there was nothing there, nada, and nothing would ever happen between them again. No more steam would ever be let out. Never.

He had made a fool out of himself, but he couldn't go back to ignoring Aedion. It would only make it more obvious. So, he put on his normal mask of _constipation_ , thinking if he told himself he didn't care, many times enough, it might just become true.

Walking into the joined cargo space and sleeping quarters, he found it to have jet another use; courtroom.

He didn't meet anyone's stare as he entered the room and did his best to ignore their grins as he placed himself as far away from the two Ashryvers as he could and out of sight from the giant bastard.

By thy Wyrd, Aedion might be Adarlan's Whore, but Aedion wasn't far away from a similar title. The Ashryver lover. Former Ashryver Lover, it would never again.

Normally the lord, the thief and the rebel leader would join, but Aelin didn't wait for them.

"Out paths is about to seperate, you are to continue west to the western peninsula, where you will gather our allies. I take it both of you know your task and will carry it out without ripping each other to pieces. Neither in bed or because what has happened there." Chaol was suddenly glad there wasn't anyone else present. It was enough having to hear Rowan choke on his restrained laughter and Aedion chuckling.

"Yes, my queen." Was all Aedion managed to get out.

They walked through the plan once more, tracing their route on the large map that had been rolled out on the floor. After making some last-minute changes, everything was set.

Chaol stood back as he watched the cousins' say their goodbye. A part of him believed it to be their last. He had seen the power of the king.

Watching the queen and her mate leave, Chaol too wished he would set his foot on land soon, but knew he had weeks left at sea.

"Captain, I have never seen anyone else showcase such a marvellous ruddiness before. Was there anything that was said that bothered you?" Aedion said with faked innocence.

Struggling to find a fitting comeback, Chaol raided his hand in a vulgar gesture, one he regretted the second later as the general spun around and showed Chaol his ass.

"You are welcome to."

The male's laughter followed Chaol as he hurried out of the room. Halfway out the door, he turned around and walked back.

"We need to talk."

"What do you want to talk about?" Aedion asked.

"Nothing… I mean we can't continue to ignore each other. Our men need us communicating."

"Oh, I know communication that doesn't involve talking."

"Shut up." This time, when Chaol left, he didn't stop in the door.

Aelin's perspective

The following days passed by in a haste of preparations, magic usage combined with her monthly bleeding that led to cravings after a bigger share of the rations then she could take and what seemed to be an endless amount of arguments with the rebel leader.

Ravi tried to convince her to go with their biggest force to Ellywee instead of her going with Rowan to Skull's Bay. As long as Rowan was by her side, the rebel stayed away. But as they closed in on Erilea, he spent most of the time in his hawk shape, staking out their route.

"The discussions will run smother if you join us. What am I supposed to tell them; that out queen thought it to be more important to speak with pirates than with our future ally?" She listened to his arguments, but came with the same set of excuses every day. Politely she turned him down, knowing it was just a matter of hours until he had prepared a new speech.

As she sat down on the deck and started devouring her food, she knew what was coming as soon as she heard him coming up behind her.

"The king and queen of Ellywee had a daughter, princess Nehemia, she was at the castle at the same time as you where, you must at least have seen her. Did you know she worked with the rebellion, both in Adarlan and her own country?"

"I knew her." The food in her mouth had lost all taste and her voice sounded strange, even in her own ears. Today there wouldn't be the same set of excuses.

"Then, if you are with us they might–."

"No. She died because of me."

"What?" Aelin looked up at him and took a deep breath before answering his question.

"She believed her death was the only way she could get me to act. The worst part is that she was correct. I'm here today because the promise I made at her grave; I promised to save her people."

"I don't understand. You came to save us all."

"No. I went to Wendlyn with one single goal, to save the people of Ellywee. There I figured I might as well save the whole freaking world while I was at it. Nehemia was my best friend and I intend to keep the promise I made her. So, I will not go to Ellywee, risking I might not do the job as good as you can. What I will do, is go to Skull's Bay, you have tried and failed to establish communication with them and I will do what you couldn't; ally with the pirates or makeing sure they can't work with Adarlan."

"What are you talking about? Why would they agree to an alliance with the king?"

"During my time as Celaena Sardothien, I made both powerful allies and enemies. The Silent Assassin's owes me a favour and therefor I know they will fight for us. Aedion saying my name will be enough for them to come, saying my name in Skull's Bay is guaranteed decapitation. I costed the Pirate Lord a great deal of both money and recourses."

"Then you can't risk going there!"

"Are you trying to give me orders?"

"If you die –"

"You shouldn't be afraid of me dying. Rather what I might do to them.

They boarded the pirate leader's ship during the cover of the night, easily slipping past the drunken pirates on the deck.

When the door was opened minutes later, the Pirate Lord walked into his cabin only to find it occupied by the snarky golden-haired girl who had nearly crushed his emperium a few years prior. As if that wasn't enough, she sat with her feet on his desk, chugging his favourite brandy.

"I told you, if you ever entered my territory again, it will be your death. I will kill you for what you–" Aelin sighed as he drew his knife, his eyes glowing with anger.

"Nowadays people react two different ways when they see me. Either they threaten to kill me with some long boring explanation to why, often giving me details such as; I will die slowly and in great pain, or they bow. I'm disappointed, I at least expected something new from you Rolfe."

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm The Fire Breathing Bitch Queen and that one is my blood sworn servant." Rowan had stepped up behind the pirate and disarmed him. "More importantly, who do I think you are; friend or a man who is about to be pissed off as he drowns after his burning ship has sunken. Yes, both you and your pirate ships are big and scary." Aelin took another big gulp of the brandy, knowing it was the Lord's favourite. "But come on, I know you heard I set my Aunt's capital on fire and let me tell you, that bitch is a crap ton scarier than you. So, no, I won't hesitate burning your armada down just because you give me that evil eye."

"So, join you or burn?"

"Pretty much, I can't afford you teaming up with the king. Plus, if you want your emperium growing, you need us." Aelin could see the spark in the pirate's eyes, he might hate her for what she had costed him, but deep down he was a businessman and would always put profit first.

"You won't burndown what is mine again, and you expect me to believe you would let my emperium expand, giving me a piece of what would be yours?"

"I do not care for conquering any land that doesn't rightfully belong to my people or my allies. I do not wish to sit upon the glass throne after the king dies, but whoever does will have bigger problems than you expanding your borders."

"Killing the king and winning the war. Big words coming from the girl who is about to lose at least half of her army."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your highness, haven't you heard, the battle of Banjali is about to go down and a certain death awaits your men."

 **I was so amazing in class today; I have never written as much during a lesson before. No I wasn't writing the correct project, but ROWAELIN FLUFF!**


	43. Chapter 43 The end of a bloodline

Antagonist406 – MISS U 2! Procrastinating? Twinz…. Heh. Next C is soon, promise :D  
Reread the last chapter a few days ago, I totally wish people I know isn't reading this story anymore. After last chapter, sweet and innocent will forever be crossed out from my description. As if they ever were a part of it…  
Did I say thank you? THX THX THX THX THX For all freaking awesome support.

Artemisisboss – If you ever read this, thank you! As I have said, me + spelling ≠ true

I haven't killed anyone in a while… Let's make up for it *laughs evilly until me voice cracks like a twelve-year-old boy's*

Chapter 43. The end of a bloodline

 _A few hours earlier_

Nox's perspective

If Nox had ever pictured himself awaiting death, he had always imagined himself pulling of some impossible heist or in the bed with his current lady _friend_. At least not sweating in a tent listening to two Terrasenite lords arguing.

After secretly landing in Ellywee, they had marched to Banjali to meet up with the other rebels and prepare a delegation to the capital. Only everything had gone to hell. The city was infested by Adarlian soldiers and the troops were stuck between the city and the cost where a large part of the king's armada awaited them. So, they were both outnumbered and outsmarted, something that seemed to bother the lords' tremendously. They had walked straight into the trap that would be the end for the rebels in the south. When Ravi and Ren had competed in a very impressive cursing competition, Nox wished the Queen had been there so she could had kicked their asses, when it came to swearing, she was more like a sailor than a royal.

As the men started another round of discussions, Nox slipped out of the tent. He walked over to the healer he had spent the entire journey trying to swoon. Only she had a heart made of steel and nothing seemed to work.

"How about kissing an outlaw before certain death?" She stared at him with the emotionless face he had grown to expect from the healers, it was as if they turned off all emotions to be able to deal with their profession. They had probably seen more than he, after all, he used to steal to provide forthe rebellion, not fight its wars or heal their wounded.

"I have already had my before certain death kiss, but if you continue to look at me like that I'll let you kiss my foot as I kick that smug grin of your face." Nox couldn't help but laugh, only the way she said it with her dead tone made him believe she might not be joking.

"Who, if I might ask, taught you to kick people? Isn't that the opposite of what healers are supposed to do?"

"Our queen taught me. She thought I might need to know how to defend myself around people like you." Somehow, Nox didn't find it shocking Aelin spent her days teaching healers to kick people. Neither did he find it shocking to be _people like him,_ swooning her had been his goal. But if he was about to die, he might as well risk his beautiful smile.

"For someone who has had her before certain death kiss, you don't seem to upset with the certain death part."

"What can I say, there are actually some healer things I do per the norm. Death is a big part of my job and I'm used to everyone dying around me."

They stood silent, taking in the sight around them. They stood in a valley, behind them stretched the dry road to the city and they could see all the way to its gate and were able to watch as the enemy marched closer. In front of them they could see all the way to the turquoise sea where shipments of men where landing on shore. The hillsides on either side were too steep for a tactical retreat and there was no other choice than to fight.

"Certain death doesn't feel as dramatic as it should. It's too quiet." As he spoke, the sound of drums started echoing between the hills as the enemy forces advanced.

"Dramatic enough for you?"

"Yes, but are you certain about the kiss?" He fell silent as he watched her widen her stance as if preparing to kick him. Holding his hands up, Nox stepped back the distance he had moved in as he spoke.

No, his before certain death plans weren't going as he had imagined.

Order's where shouted and the men fell into line and the enemy moved closer from both directions. Every beat of the drum was one closer to death.

"Ships are coming, Wendlyn colours." A demi-Fae shouted. Pointing at something too far away for Nox's human sight. The word had spread as a new colour of sails appeared behind the Adarlan armada, the enemy turned around and watched as their ships where sunken by Wendlyn mages. United the rebels raised their fists.

A horn sounded behind them and Nox stared as new men emerged from the city, only this time it wasn't Adarlan soldiers but what he believed to be rebels. He charged together with the rest of his troop who were ordered north, to the city.

It was no longer they who were surrounded, but their enemy. Nox grinned as he realized who had outsmarted them all. He could see her smug grin in front of him as he imagined how the Queen had planned the event.

 _Now_

Aelin's perspective

Her chuckle washed away any trace of smugness from the pirate lord's face.

"The battle of Banjali has already been won. Minor losses on my side or should I say ours?"

"I just got word— "

"Sending messages with birds takes time if a certain mage with power to control the wind currents have spent his day messing with them." Aelin heard steps coming towards the cabin. "Seems like more of your lost birds have arrived."

The lord left the room after the newcomer knocked on the door, leaving them alone. Rowan shot her a warning glare;

 _Do this smoothly._

 _I'm always smooth._

 _Hardly._

 _You are the hard one. No arguments?_

Aelin smoothened her expression as the door handle was turned. The pirate lord was back and he held a crumbled piece of paper in his hand. The look on his face was too much and she found it impossible to hide her grin.

"I have proven I can give you what you want by crushing a part of the king's armada. Sadly, I must crush yours as well if you plan to team up with him."

"You are a bitch."

Aelin shot him a blending smile as she gave him the contract she had written together with the rebels. "It's always fun to do business with you my highly esteemed lord."

"You will die screaming." Rolfe said as he signed, his face showing an impressive impression of Chaol's constipation-face.

Nox's perspective

He walked together with Ren and the rest of the men in their troop back from the fight. They had won the battles by the gate easily as the enemy had been stuck between the rebels in the city and those outwards. Their last mistake where to turn around and trying to return through the gates.

Killing was something Nox had done before, he had never enjoyed it, but didn't hate it either. Ren on the other hand, still had a twisted grin on his face, one that hadn't faltered since the massacre.

The rebels had set up camp at the location where they had awaited their death a few hours earlier, it was full of activity as soldiers returned and wounded where transported from the two battlefields to the healers.

"Boy" an old man shouted from the opening of the tent Nox had escaped what seemed like a life time ago. The grin on Ren's face was replaced by a smile of pure joy, something Nox had never seen there before. It had to be Murtag, Ren's grandfather. Leaving the lord to his private business, he continued walking.

The moonlight wasn't bright enough for Nox to see all the way to the sea, he wished it was as he was told about how a part of the Wendlyn armada led by the crown prince, had crushed their enemy.

"Wait Mr Owen." Looking back, he met the gaze of the old man. "You are wanted." He said gesturing towards the tent. Nodding Nox followed what was left of the Allsbrook bloodline.

Inside the tent, Nox was met by a surprising scene. A large fire was burning in the tents centre, but it was not a natural flame, but shaped as a woman. As he stepped closer he recognize the features of Aelin, but they were somehow wrong.

"Are you all gathered?" The voice wasn't that of a human, but a crackling flame.

"Yes my Queen." Ravi said from his position closest to the fire.

"Then, I'm sorry for letting you wait for a death that wasn't coming."

"You knew?" The rebel leader exclaimed.

"Of course, the battle of Banljali was planned all along." The Fire Queen purred, glowing a soft yellow.

"Why didn't you inform me?"

"I have slight trust issues as I am an assassin by heart." She was burning red now and Nox felt the temperature drop, as the queen placed her hand on her heart, Nox realized what looked wrong. The flame was a reflection.

"You knew the city was full of Adarlan soldiers and we'd be trapped between them and the armada."

"Yes." Nox noticed Murtag had put a hand on Ren's shoulder, holding him back.

"How do you dare?" The other rebel leaders, at least that is what Nox guessed they were, started to move uncomfortably as Ravi screamed in rage.

"I am your queen and I did what I deemed fitting." As she continued to speak, the room grew hotter. "As we were attacked, my suspicions proved to be correct, we have enemies within our lines. Yes, I knew you would be stuck between his men, but I also knew his men would be stuck between mine."

"What do you mean?"

"I was the one who sent word after Galan, didn't you notice our speed dropped? When he was close enough, I ordered you to prepare the delegation for Banjali. It seems as if my trust issues proved to be helpful once more." The room was blazing hot and the Fire Queen leaned out of the ring of stone grabbing Ravi by the throat, her hand was blue and as she opened her mouth it was the roar of a raging fire. "Explain how the king knew where you were going to land."

Nox though he saw tears starting to all down the former leader's cheeks, but they vaporised in the heat. Then the man began to curse and threaten the queen whose only response was to laugh.

"I won't kill you." That made the man scream even more, but his scream changed as the stench of burned skin filled the tent. "Have him questioned and then end him. I'm sorry for having to keep you in the dark." With those words the flames grew smaller until they went back to normal.

Aelin's perspective

Falling to her knees, she looked over at her mate who was about to pass out. He shot her an exhausted glance, one she returned.

 _Let's never do that again._

Rowan nodded, opening his arms and she walked into his warmth. Kissing her forehead, he fell asleep standing and his weight pulled them both to the ground. He was woken by pain through the bound combined by his swearing mate as she tried to get out from underneath him.

Nox's perspective

Leaving the tent behind he walked to find the healer, someone had to get her to eat. To his surprise he found her walking across the space between the tents. That was until he noted she was heading towards the healer's tent with her arms filled with supplies, but before Nox could say anything another man opened his mouth.

"Yrene." The crown prince of Wendlyn shouted as he comes walking through the camp, breathing heavily as if he had been running.

"Gal, what are you doing here?" Well, this Nox found surprising; a healer who had her own nickname on the prince.

"Saving your life for once." That confirmed it, the two of them went back.

"I don't need you to be my knight in shiny armour." The prince stepped closer, placing a hand on Yrene's cheek. At least Nox hadn't lost the competition about the woman's heart against some farmer.

"Let a man swoon over the love of his life."

"Let a woman do her job saving lives." Nox couldn't hide his grin.

"Kiss me and then okay." The prince was persistent, Nox wondered if he had ever tasted the healer's foot.

"Galan."

"On the cheek."

"Get out of my way." Yrene said with a demanding voice and started to walk past the prince but turned around, kissing him quickly on the lips before hurrying away.

"I love you." She waved with her elbow as if to confirm she had heard what the man said. "By the Wyrd. That woman will be the death of me."

"At least she kissed you."

"Yes, you have no idea how long that took." The prince said as he turned to the thief.

"I might have an idea." Nox said snorting, looking after the woman.

"If it feels better, it took me over a year and the only way I got her to talk with me was by being her patient and not even that worked after she figured out why I let my ass get beaten."

Nox laughed and the men began to make their way over to the fires.

"No hard feelings me trying to swoon your woman?"

"She is not mine until this damn war is over and no, the only reason would be if I didn't trust her and I do. I have trusted her with my heart for years and my life even longer. I was too late for the show huh?"

"What?"

"The queen exposing the traitor."

"Yes."

"Good, let's eat then."

They found a seat by one of the smallest fires waiting for food, but Nox soon noted the rest of the men followed the prince's every move. Glaring at the man he understood he had noted as well.

The food was given to all men around the fire except the prince.

"Sorry your highness, you were too late, again." The man spit, walking past the prince who waited patiently. Nox where about to hand over his food, but the prince silently shook his head.

"Why did you decide to come this time?" The second man didn't even bother to use and titles.

"Your Queen asked me to." He said looking the man in the eyes. Nox felt the atmosphere grew even tenser. All it needed was a spark to ignite and kt wouldn't be a small fire but one that risked to burn them all. Grabbing the princes shoulder Nox tried to get him out of there, but he was once more waved off.

"We can never repair the damages of what happened eleven years ago. But I can do my best to prevent it from happening again." Nox tried to get the attention of Ren who sat a fire down, only he was too invested in the story he was telling one of the men.

"There is no eleven years ago, it has been a continuous nightmare ever since. Suddenly you decide to show up and save the day, but why? Because our queen has the power to win and you want your piece." The man stood now, walking towards the prince.

Nox shouted as he saw the glimmer of steal in the man's hand, only there was no time for him to react as someone else had already stepped in the man's way.

The old man fell to his knees with a blade buried in his abdomen, a cut no one could survive. Ren was screaming in rage as he noted his grandfather's corpse, people gasped and the prince was staring with big eyes and a face covered in blood-splatter.

"You will pay." The lord shouted, his hand clenched around the hilt of his still bloody sword, already drawn, as he made his way over to their fire. He looked between the man who had held the knife and the intended target, as if he couldn't decide where to start.

Charging the soldier, the man had no chance. Neither Nox or anyone else reacted quickly enough, the first man died a similar death to the one of Ren's grandfather had.

Anger burnt in the lord's brown eyes as he turned to the crown prince, finding Nox in his way.

"You can't do this." Nox said.

"Get out of my way. You are not a part of this."

"I am. He dies and we lose our ally." The lord just shook his head, not caring about any logic but that of his heart. He just brushed past the thief, only before Ren could raise his sword for the fatal blow, he looked down and noted a blade poking out of his chest.

"I'm so sorry." Nox whispered as the lord fell to his knees, his breathing ragged.

"Promise me to bring our ashes home. Grandpa always wanted his final rest to be with the rest of our family." The words come out fragmentarily, but as Nox kneel by the man's side he could make them out.

"I promise."

"Thank you, pa would never had forgiven me if I killed the prince." Ren said as he took his final ragged breath, falling to the ground.

Later as the two Terrasenite lords burn, marking the end of the Allsbrook bloodline, Nox couldn't look away and he stayed at the same spot until the funeral pyre had faded, then he gathered the ashes of the friend he killed and the grandpa the man died for. As he held their urn in his hand, Now knew there was no rest awaiting him until he had fulfilled his promise.


	44. Chapter 44 The vermin

Chapter 44. The vermin

Aelin's perspective

 _This is a dumb idea._

 _Absolutely._

Rowan let out a sigh. _Let's go then._

Aelin answered him with a grin and she kissed him on the tip of his nose before she wrapped the shawl around her head. He gave her a long look before he turned to his hawk shape and took to the skies.

Leaving the formation of rocks, they had hidden behind she began walking along the dirt road heading towards Leri∂a. Minutes later, the group of soldiers wearing the Eyllwe colors, the men she and Rowan had planned for her to meet, reached her and she wasn't surprised as they stopped by her side.

"What is your purpose to travel these roads?" A man asked from his horse, speaking with thick dialect and bad pronunciation in the Adarlian language.

"I'm a refuge heading to Leri∂a." Sha answered using the accent Nehemia had while speaking. The men exchanged glances.

"You are running from war, but what's in the city might be even worse."

"Aren't our King and Queen there? I heard they travelled from Banjali a few weeks ago."

The soldiers decided to let her ride with them and two hours later she was through the gate and left with directions to the closest refugee center that had been set up in the city.

Instead of following the directions given, she walked with her eyes on the ground and headed to the castle, not letting herself take it all in, knowing she would be reminded of her best friend.

At first after landing in Eyllwe, she and Rowan had traveled with one of the pirate lord's ships, Aelin had search her surroundings after those wonders Nehemia had told her about, only to find them to be in pieces or robbed of its glory. It was better to look at the dirty ground then to look up and see all the hungry and pained faces.

Lead by a white bird and their tugging bound, she quickly found the castle. Only hours after she and Rowan had separated they united once more and together they snuck through the castle that had been infested by Adarlian men, just as the rest of the continent.

Her sources in the capital had told her about the royal family being summoned north and as they had taken the capital, it hadn't come to a surprise to her that the throne room was empty. But freeing the capital had spread hope and given them extended manpower. Galan was leading the campaign south, clearing the land from its occupiers.

As promised, a rebel met them in the servants' corridors and showed them the way through the royal family's summer castle, sticking to hidden passageways and secret corridors.

"Here." The woman mouthed and pointed to a gap in the wall. She was a kitchen maid working in the castle and as soon as she had fulfilled her promise, she left them.

Through the hidden gap in the wall, Aelin and Rowan spied on the private conversation between the King and Queen of Eyllwe and the crown prince of Adarlan.

Dorian slouched on the throne, reminding Aelin of the first time she had met the man, his full attention was on the man and woman kneeling on the floor, their foreheads to the floor, a king and his queen in total submission to a foreign country's prince. A few feet away, what had to be one of Nehemia's younger brothers, was held between two guards while a third pressed a white-hot iron to his back, marking him as less than kettle, as a slave.

"Send him to Calaculla. You say you are one with your people, and every family has lost someone to this war you have caused. That is your lost." The Valg-possessed prince laughed.

"Please don't, I beg you." The queen said sobbing from her position on the floor. Dorian waved his hand, signing to his men to execute their orders.

Aelin didn't look away as another piece of the family was ripped away. And once more the separation was connected to the lack of actions from her part.

"Isn't it wonderful that you have more children, how about signing the treaty and I don't ask them to get another one of your son's? It would be horrible to lose another heir the same way as you lost your beloved princess." The King reached over to his wife, holding her hand, but he stayed silent.

Dorian turned his head to the door Aelin couldn't see, but knew had to be there as she heard it open a few seconds later.

"Your highness, more ground north of Banjali has been lost to the rebel forces."

Dorian uttered words he never would had known if it wasn't for the Valgprince within him, before he turned smiling towards the king and queen.

"You're lucky, you have a few days to decide. Leave and I'll burn you all." The last words where uttered in a voice not meant for human throats, one that sent a chill down Aelin's spine. Dorian stood and left the room, followed by all Adarlian soldiers.

"Are you ready?" Rowan whispered, she nodded. As they entered the room through a hidden door, the royals were holding each other in a hard embrace. They booth turned as they heard the newcomers.

"Who are you?" The King asked.

"I'm Aelin Ashryver Galathynious and this is my mate Rowan." Aelin said as she removed her shawl. The others seemed to find it hard to believe the woman in the dirty dress to be the lost heir, but they nodded as a greeting. "I wish we had been here sooner."

"We all wish things to be different."

"I'm sorry for invading your country and taking your capital, but I hope to instead be able to say I helped my ally free what is rightfully theirs."

"No offence taken, and yes, I hope you can say that." The queen said looking at her husband who nodded in agreement.

"Why are you still in Eyllwe, shouldn't you be heading for Terrassen?" The king asked.

"I'm keeping the promise I made at your daughter's grave, the one I wasn't strong enough to give to her when she was still alive."

"So you are Elentiya?" The queen asked as she walked from the king's side over to Aelin.

"Yes, I'm sorry for your loss." Aelin bit her lip, pushing down the guilt. A warm copper colored hand was placed on her cheek and Aelin met a stare that was so much like the woman's daughter's had been; strong and intelligent, filled with emotion.

"And I'm sorry for yours." The other woman said softly, Aelin smiled sadly as the other queen walked back to her husband.

"There is little time. The pirates are on our side, prince Aedion is gathering out allies on the western peninsula and we are heading north." They nodded.

"We will gather our forces we have left and help our troops here in the south." The king said. "And when time comes, we shall meet again and then I want to hear everything."

Rowan placed a hand on Aelin's shoulder and she looked at him.

"The possessed prince and his men is detained by our forces south, we have the opportunity to use our advantage to try to save those in Calaculla before we head north. It would be a detour, but we can make up for the time."

 _Are you certain?_

 _Yes._

"Sound like a plan."

As the camp came into sight, a wide grin spread across Aelin's lips. Rowan was correct, together they would make it and no one of the king's men would stand in her way, because if they'd try, they'd become ash beneath her feet.

Galan's perspective

He was awoken by a soft hand pressed against his mouth. The familiar closeness kept him calm as he opened his eyes, staring into sweet caramel. Yrene hushed him as he began to open his mouth, quickly removing her boots and laid down on the still warm blankets where he had made her space. She snuggled into his embrace.

"I love you." Her silent whisper caressed him.

"I know you do." He breathed into her soft locks.

Noticing her body was shaken by sobs, he moved his hand up and down her back. She must be exhausted, otherwise she wouldn't had shown such emotion, wouldn't even had let herself feel them. Knowing she would tell him when she was ready, he stroke away her hair and kissed her forehead.

"There is so much death." Her eyes where wide open as she searched comfort with him. "She died like they did." Galan continued to caress her as powerful sobs shook her body. "Burnt like they did. My mum." Remembering the events of the day, his embrace firmed, pressing her closer against him.

They traveled north through Eyllwe, heading to Leri∂a. The day had been long and they had been forced to fight one battle after another and when the darkness had fallen, the fires had been lit along the horizon. The other nights, they had believed it to be funeral pyres, but as the wind had turned, they had been proven wrong. The terrible screams of those burnt alive had been carried with the wind, haunting everyone in the newly built camp.

Their troops needed to regain strength and all they could do was watch the executions. Those who died, did so the way Galan had been told those accused of having powers had when the king had banished all magic. Yrene had never told him how her mother had died, only she had seen it, not until now.

What had already been a long day, filled with death of comrades, passing destroyed villages and dismantled corpses, had become even longer. The people of many nations could only watch as the men and woman that was now a part of their cause, had burnt at the stakes, reminding them that they wouldn't be able to win, too much had already been lost.

"We will end his terror. We have to."

"I have lost so many today. There hasn't been enough time, I had to patch men up knowing it would only be a provisional solution, hoping to be able to finish the job later, only to find there was no time later as more men came and every time someone entered the tent, I looked up to make sure it wasn't you. Because if it had been; I would had dropped everything I was doing, putting you in front of everyone else. I can't lose you Gal." He kissed her tears.

"I'll do my best not to get hurt, and when I actually try, I'm pretty darn good at staying unharmed. Me spending so much time in the sick bed was only an excuse to see you. As long as you let me see you during the nights, I'll not force myself onto you during the days." Laughing softly, she regained control over her own body. After kissing him once, she moved around making herself comfortable before she fell asleep, so tired she didn't even notice she kicked his bag, knocking it over.

The guard positioned outside the tent looked in, his weapon ready. His big eyes told Galan he hadn't expected to find a woman beside the prince. Galan signed to the man to keep quiet and leave them alone. If anyone woke her now, Yrene would get straight up and back to job, not bothering to try to fall asleep once more.

Deciding to try to fall asleep once more, he ignored whatever mess might come; Galan would take care about it later. The same way he would take care about the king and any other excuse his, too be fiancé, might have and fix all of them until there was nothing more she wanted that he could give her.

He woke again an hour before dawn and snuck out of the tent, leaving Yrene safely tucked into the blankets. Before he left to find them breakfast, Galan gave the same guard who had found them earlier, orders to tell her to stay if she woke up before he was back.

When he returned minutes later, she was awake and the same guard laid passed out on the ground beside her and her roused face told him the man hadn't fallen asleep by himself.

"What the hell did you tell the guard?" She whispered furiously.

"Asking you to stay if you woke up before I was back. What happened?" Galan kneeled by her side, trying to make sure she was all right, but was shooed of.

"He was looking at me when I woke up, only inches away and when I started moving, he pinned me to the ground."

"By the Wyrd." Galan cursed, dragging the man to the exit leaving him there. Handing Yrene her share of the food, she gave him a long look before taking her first bite.

"You can't have someone do something like that."

"I know." He said with a sigh, as a thought formed in his head a smile spread across his lips and he nudged her in the side using his elbow. "Look at it this way, when you get back to duty, you stomach will be full and you will be fully awake. And later when that one comes in asking for something against his headache, you can smile at him knowing you easily defeated him and he must look back at you knowing he can't tell anyone. Because both his pride as a guard, giant and man have been mushed by a midget healer."

"Gal, I'm not tiny." She said grinning

"In comparison to him you are." She had finished eating and kissed him before standing, looking over to the back of the tent she used as her private entrance and exit. "We are not a secret." Galan said silently.

"I'm a healer, you are a prince." She said as if she tried to convince herself, but Galan saw his chance and took it.

"Details." Swallowing the last of his food he stood and offered her his arm, bowing. "May I follow you back?" She hesitated a moment before grabbing his hand, waving of his formularies and together they left the tent using the tent opening, making sure not to tramp on the still knocked-out guard.

They held a quick paste as they walked through the camp, talking softly. Galan simply ignored the stares and did his best to calm her, which seemed to work.

As they arrived, Yrene looked up at him, smiling goodbye. Leaning down he pressed his mouth to her ear.

"May I kiss you goodbye?"

"No, but you may kiss me; see you later." She said and pressed her lifts quickly to his. "They might want to see you." She said gesturing to the tent and he let go of her hand as he followed her in, noting the change in the way she held herself. Proud to be loved by such a strong and independent woman, he once more asked himself what she found in him.

Spending the coming half hour in the tent he walked from bed to bed speaking to his men. He stayed until dawn when he returned to their tent where he had business to take care of, hoping she too called the piece of canvas theirs.

He was about to crash into Nox Owen as he walked back. The thief moved as an undead, his eyes fixated on the north horizon, having the same empty stare Galan had found there since the funeral.

Many had died because of Galan and he had learned to accept the fact, but it wasn't his hands that had been covered in the blood, his sword that had ended a bloodline. Later, Yrene had told him the thief was the dead lord's only friend. Galan had heard the last words the men had said to each other, wondered how close the two would had grown during their fight to reach Terrassen.

Each time he saw Nox, he realized the event had broken something within the thief and silently Galan asked himself what wind wound knock him over and how many times he would manage to rise.

The days continued as the past days had, filled with battles and death, only the following days was brightened by seeing more of Yrene then before as she no longer wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Even if Galan knew the change had come from something bad, he was glad it had happened.

At first he feared someone might use her against him and he was aware they verbally attacked her as they couldn't reach him, but it quickly stopped as Yrene continued her work as a healer, not doing less than she had done before.

Many died during their march north even more was wounded, but they won battle after battle, even if it was barely, they won, keeping the morale somewhat high. But each battle was harder to win and the crusade advanced less each day and soon the no longer advanced, staying put but protecting the land they had taken back. They had made it three quarters of the way from Banjali to Leri∂a and they controlled the land all the way to the river in the west creating a natural barrier that was enhanced by pirate ships to the most southern peak of the eastern part of Erilea.

Aedion's perspective

"Close the door." Aedion said from his position on the bed as Chaol entered the room.

"No." The captain stepped away from the still open door, having used one of his shirts to keep it open.

"What are you afraid is going to happen?"

"Nothing." Chaol grunted, giving Aedion the perfect opening.

"Then, what do you want happening?" Aedion grinned, loved the way the other man squirmed.

"You are hopeless." Chaol seemed to contemplate whether to leave or not.

"Of course, but you asked for it."

"I didn't." Chaol said, obviously ignoring what preciously had left his attractive lips. Aedion let his eyes rest on them for a few seconds, remembering how they tasted, longing that taste. Shifting uncomfortably, Chaol cleared his throat. "What do you want?"

"As I said, I want you to close the door, well that was until you implied more and now that is what I want."

"Shut up."

"You asked me a question, I answered."

"Now I ask you to shut up."

"I'll do that as soon as you close the door."

"If I don't?"

"Then I don't." Chaol let out sigh and stepped back to the door, leaning down to pick up his shirt, giving Aedion a view he had longed all day without knowing it. The captain's ass was better than fine. Chaol stood and Aedion considered if it would be worth it to tell him about his assets, deeming he'd rather stay in the same breathing space for a little longer, Aedion picked up the book from his chest and continued to read. That until the book was ripped out of his hands.

"Where did you get this?"

"From snooping through your belongings."

"How do you dare?"

"I'm sorry to tell you, but you look adorable when you are angry. May I at least finish the page?"

"I didn't know you read."

"Neither did I know you do, captain. Honestly I usually look at the pictures, but tell me how it ends."

"Can't, I haven't finished. I'm a page behind you." Chaol noted as he checked the page Aedion had been reading. Taking a deep breath, Chaol sat on the floor, leaning against Aedion's bed and positioned himself so Aedion read over his shoulder. They read in silence through the night and when the book was finished, Chaol moved to his bed refusing the met Aedion's stare, keeping his back towards the male who didn't put any effort into concealing his hurt frown. As soon as he thought there might be a chance Chaol would stop being childish, the other man proved him wrong. Still, Aedion was drawn towards him, longing his closeness, even if it meant he would have to hurt.

They landed in Yurpa in broad daylight. The Wolf of the North led his men down the gangway to the Adarlian soldiers waiting for them on the dock. The Valg-possessed men died as their decapitated heads landed on the dock and the blood dried quickly in the blazing sun.

Chaol's men waited on the deck and Aedion swore silently when he couldn't find the captain among them, his eyes moved quickly and breathing in, he couldn't find the man's scent as everything was overpowered by the smell of fresh nonhuman blood.

"What's wrong?" Spinning around, Aeidon stood face to face with the captain and Aedion let a lazy grin hide his relief.

"Just making sure there wasn't anyone who got past my men, wouldn't want to force yours to get a rough start."

"Take care of your men and I'll take care of mine. I'll see if I can find the rebels in the city."

"I don't think there is a reason for you to search for them." Gesturing towards the bystanders that had gathered, Aedion pointed on a few hooded men and the way others were looking them, they had power.

No one in the crowd seemed to be sad seeing the soldiers dead, there was no mourning the loss and Aedion deemed it safe to leave his men to take care of the and together with Chaol, he walked to where the hooded men stood.

"My name is Aedion Ashryver, I'm here on orders from the Queen of Terrassen. With whom should I speak?"

The men Aedion had been looking at stepped forwards.

"Us." One of them said, using sweeping hand motions to show who he meant.

"My queen has landed in Erilea, preparing to free our continent from the king's iron grip. Has there been any news of their progress?"

"Hard to find any news in a town that is controlled by the king's men. As you can see, we have a problem with vermin." The man gestured towards the corpses on the dock. "There is more in the city, be careful."

"Thank you." Aedion lowered his gaze in thankfulness.

"Your Queen, is she fighting for your people or us all?"

"Everyone. She doesn't believe she has a people of her own, everyone bleed and if anyone knows there is no difference about how we do it, it's her."

"So it is true, you fight for the people of many nations."

"Yes, would you like it if we took care of your vermin problem?" The men looked at the newcomers with big eyes, they had seen them fight when they landed, but no one seemed to have dared hoping they would do more than necessary for their own survival. Aedion understood their suspicion. They had no reason to believe them, but he would give them a reason. "I might be The Wolf of the North, but I'm still able to fight in the south."

He flashed his whit grin, signaling for Chaol to take care of the rest in the harbor before he led his men into the winding streets of the desert city, killing all demons he could find, ignoring the fact he did it to compensate for all his own demons he could not.

They left the city three days later after it had been swept through by the storm that was The Wolf and his new men. Chaol stayed with the troops marching north, while Aedion headed to The Silent Assassins, their ally, those who held a piece of the puzzle that was his cousin's past and pawn in the game deciding who would rule the continent.


End file.
